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September 17, 2005

Viva la France! Mais non!

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Further proof that the French mentality is unfathomable:  the nation's transport workers and other public employees went on strike. The reason?  The government wants to allow people to work more than 35 hours per week!  Mais oui, in France that's the limit; no overtime allowed. 

Francois Chereque, of the moderate (sic!)CFDT union, said labor leaders have no intention of budging. 

"The CFDT is very attached to the 35—hour workweek," he said. "We will defend it until the end."

French reasoning at its finest: The unions feel limiting the work week to 35 hours will create more jobs; this despite persistent nearly 10% unemployment.

Actually the reasoning gets even finer.

The strikes occurred as the International Olympic Committee inspected Paris for its suitability to host a future Summer Games.  Planning for this event and the event itself would of course create numerous jobs but union leaders truly don't think the strike should affect the IOC's decision. 

Of course not.

Viva la France!  Mais non.

Ethel C. Fenig  3 12 05