France
Background information on industrial relations in France
- 28 Dec 2000
France: Civil service pay talks open<#PDF_LINK>Pay negotiations opened in the French civil service in late November 2000. The seven civil service trade unions have rejected the government's proposed 0.5% salary increase for 2000 (the last pay agreement expired in 1999). The outcome of these negotiations is currently uncertain.
- 28 Dec 2000
France: MEDEF announces pull-out from National Association of Social Security Funds<#PDF_LINK>In November 2000, France's MEDEF employers' confederation announced that it was pulling out of the administrative board of the National Association of Social Security Funds (UCANSS), which it chairs. UCANSS manages the 176,000 staff of the various social security funds. The trade unions have condemned MEDEF's action.
- 28 Dec 2000
France: Workplace elections at EDF and GDF<#PDF_LINK>In November 2000, workplace elections of employee representatives were held in France's state-run electricity and gas companies, EDF and GDF. The results show little change compared with 1997, with CGT remaining the majority trade union, with over twice the support of its nearest rival, CFDT.
- 28 Dec 2000
France: Shift in employment policy proposed<#PDF_LINK>In December 2000, the Economic Analysis Council published a report looking at the criteria necessary to attain" full employment" in France by 2010. Macroeconomic policies guaranteeing strong, sustained growth require more stringent structural policies to stimulate labour supply and improve labour market efficiency, the report states. Responses from the social partners have been mixed.
- 28 Dec 2000
France: Negotiations over 35-hour week in banking<#PDF_LINK>During the second half of 2000, agreements on introducing the 35-hour working week were signed in France's major banks, after the sectoral-level social partners failed to deal with the issue in an industry-wide agreement concluded in January. Sectoral negotiations will now deal with working time reduction for the many smaller banks which have not signed a company-level agreement.
- 28 Dec 2000
France: Industrial disputes rose in 1999<#PDF_LINK>According to data published by the French Ministry of Employment and Solidarity in November 2000, there was a marked rise in the number of working days lost due to strikes in 1999, compared with 1998. Almost half of all disputes in 1999 were mainly related to either pay or employment. However, the reduction and reorganisation of working time formed the basis for a quarter of the disputes.
- 28 Dec 2000
France: 2000 Annual Review for France<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2000's main developments in industrial relations in France.
- 28 Nov 2000
France: Romanian forestry workers win unpaid wages case<#PDF_LINK>In October 2000, 122 Romanian workers employed by a German company in France won an industrial tribunal case over unpaid wages. The French government subsequently stepped in to pay the workers' wages when the company failed to do so.
- 28 Nov 2000
France: 1998 works council election results published<#PDF_LINK>The results of the works council elections held in France in 1998 were published in October 2000. The main trends observed were a fall in turn-out among employees and a drop in the vote for non-unionised independent candidates. Nevertheless, independents still constitute the largest single group of works council members. The election results highlighted a number of problems in collecting data and in using these figures as a means of measuring the representativeness of trade unions.
- 28 Nov 2000
France: Employee savings schemes reformed<#PDF_LINK>A law to reform France's employee savings schemes was presented to parliament in October-November 2000. There are two parts to the law: the first overhauls the existing company savings scheme and extends it to cover smaller companies; while the second creates a new voluntary longer-term savings scheme. The new provisions have met with little enthusiasm and have, indirectly, reawakened the debate on pension funds.
- 28 Nov 2000
France: 2001 social security funding bill passed<#PDF_LINK>The 2001 social security funding bill was passed by the French parliament in October 2000. The key provisions include a cut in social security contributions for low-wage earners, as well as increases in pensions and family allowances. Trade unions have opposed the trend towards greater government involvement in social security, and a major debate has arisen over controlling healthcare spending.
- 28 Nov 2000
France: Workforce elections held at La Poste and France Télécom<#PDF_LINK>In October 2000, employees at France Télécom and La Poste - France's national telecommunications and postal services operators - elected their representatives on the companies' administrative boards and on various joint committees. The result of these elections showed an increase in support for the independent SUD trade union at the expense of CGT. CFDT made gains, whereas CGT-FO lost ground and support for CFTC and CFE-CGC remained stable.
- 28 Nov 2000
France: Bill on new anti-discrimination measures<#PDF_LINK>In October 2000, the French National Assembly adopted at first reading a bill seeking to extend and strengthen legislation against discrimination in employment. If passed by the Senate, the new law would apply anti-discrimination legislation to a wider range of grounds and employment situations and amend the rules on the burden of proof.
- 28 Nov 2000
France: Officers bring prisons to two-week standstill<#PDF_LINK>French prisons were brought to a standstill in October 2000 by industrial action called by three prison officers' trade unions in a protest over shortages of staff and funding. After a two-week dispute, an agreement was reached by the two majority unions and the Ministry of Justice.
- 28 Nov 2000
France: Bill on new anti-discrimination measures<#PDF_LINK>In October 2000, the French National Assembly adopted at first reading a bill seeking to extend and strengthen legislation against discrimination in employment. If passed by the Senate, the new law would apply anti-discrimination legislation to a wider range of grounds and employment situations and amend the rules on the burden of proof.
- 28 Nov 2000
France: Officers bring prisons to two-week standstill<#PDF_LINK>French prisons were brought to a standstill in October 2000 by industrial action called by three prison officers' trade unions in a protest over shortages of staff and funding. After a two-week dispute, an agreement was reached by the two majority unions and the Ministry of Justice.
- 28 Oct 2000
France: Civil service employment observatory created<#PDF_LINK>In September 2000, a new observatory was created for the collection and distribution of information pertaining to employment in the French civil service. It will also monitor the evolution of jobs and civil servants' skills - areas where information is currently lacking.
- 28 Oct 2000
France: Industrial action breaks out in public transport<#PDF_LINK>In September 2000, French public transport was hit by a number of strikes. The conflicts centred mainly on pay, reflecting a widespread feeling among French workers that, after years of wage restraint, they are now entitled to a share of current economic growth.
- 28 Oct 2000
France: Government refuses to endorse new version of unemployment insurance agreement<#PDF_LINK>During 2000, the French social partners have been attempting to negotiate an agreement to reform the jointly-managed UNEDIC unemployment insurance system. The government refused to endorse an agreement signed in June by employers' organisations and two trade union confederations (CFDT and CFTC) and asked the signatories to amend a number of provisions. A new agreement was concluded in September, to which a third union confederation (CFE-CGC) signed up. However, for the second time, the government refused to endorse the deal on the grounds that the amendments did not go far enough in addressing the criticisms leveled at the initial agreement. A third version is in preparation.
- 28 Oct 2000
France: Moves to lift ban on women's night work<#PDF_LINK>The French government has proposed a legislative amendment to lift the statutory ban on women's night work in industry, thus clearing up long-standing legal confusion and bringing national law into line with EU law. However, on 3 October 2000, against all expectations, the Senate voted down the government amendment.
- 28 Oct 2000
France: Protests over fuel price rises<#PDF_LINK>In September 2000, in the wake of major increases in fuel prices, a series of protest actions and demonstrations disrupted activity in a number of French industries, such as fishing, agriculture, road transport (goods haulage, coach operations and taxi services) and health (ambulance crews).
- 28 Sep 2000
France: Occupational illnesses and industrial solvents in the spotlight<#PDF_LINK>According to initial figures published by the the National Health Insurance Fund (CNAMTS), the incidence of occupational illnesses is likely to have increased in France in 1999. Meanwhile, the potential dangers associated with the use of ether- and glycol-based solvents were a particularly prominent issue throughout summer 2000.
- 28 Sep 2000
France: Settlement to unemployment insurance dispute now more likely<#PDF_LINK>In summer 2000, French industrial relations was dominated by the fall-out from the government's refusal to endorse an agreement on the reform of the UNEDIC unemployment insurance agreement, signed by the MEDEF, CGPME and UPA employers' organisations and the CFDT and CFTC trade union confederations. The signatory organisations embarked on a "point-by-point" rebuttal of the government's position. However, as the summer holiday season drew to a close, it appeared that all those involved - the government, employers' organisations and signatory and non-signatory unions - were committed to preserving UNEDIC's joint-management system.
- 28 Sep 2000
France: Wage demands re-emerge<#PDF_LINK>After two years of implementing the 35-hour working week in France, which has led to wage restraint at a time of strong economic growth, employee demands in autumn 2000 are focusing again on pay and the maintenance of purchasing power. Wage rises have barely kept pace with price increases in recent times.
- 28 Aug 2000
France: 35-hour week agreement signed at BNP-Paribas<#PDF_LINK>Following the recent annulment by the courts of a sectoral agreement introducing the 35-hour week in the French banking industry, a company agreement on the reduction of working time was signed in July 2000 at the BNP-Paribas group. The deal was signed by three trade unions - CFDT, CFTC and SNB-CGC - with CGT and CGT-FO refusing to sign. However, the banking federation of CFDT has contested the signature of its representatives, and will consult before deciding whether to endorse it .
- 28 Aug 2000
France: Report on France's economic and social prospects presented to Prime Minister<#PDF_LINK>In July 2000, the National Economic Planning Agency presented to the Prime Minister a major report on France's economic and social prospects. This report, which should form the basis for government action, was preceded by a wide-ranging consultation process involving the social partners and various other economic and social actors.
- 28 Aug 2000
France: Court sets limits on subcontracting<#PDF_LINK>In two rulings issued in July 2000, France's highest court, the Cour de Cassation, laid down limits governing the transfer of employment contracts arising from a change in an employer's legal status. The judgments have important implications for the subcontracting and outsourcing of activities by companies.
- 28 Aug 2000
France: Government refuses to approve new UNEDIC agreement<#PDF_LINK>On 24 July 2000, the French government officially announced that it would not approve a new agreement reforming the UNEDIC unemployment insurance system, signed by employers' organisations (CGPME, MEDEF and UPA) and two trade union confederations (CFDT and CFTC). In the light of this decision, these unions and employers' organisations took a joint decision "temporarily to withdraw from the administrative board of UNEDIC".
- 28 Aug 2000
France: Social terrorism breaks out in closure disputes<#PDF_LINK>During summer 2000, at a time when the French press was filled with headlines proclaiming the success of the economy, industrial relations news was dominated by stories of grim labour disputes. Starting at the Cellatex plant in the Ardennes, where workers threatened to blow up the factory, employees in a number of plants faced with closure used similar tactics in order to press for better severance packages.
- 28 Aug 2000
France: Debate and negotiations over trade union funding<#PDF_LINK>The debate over the funding of French trade unions from external sources has been given new momentum by two recent studies into the activities in this area of jointly-managed social security agencies. Two agreements concluded in June 2000 are designed to clarify this issue in a particular sector or company. The first sets up a jointly-managed association to fund social dialogue in the information technology, engineering and consulting sector. The second implements a system of company funding of unions represented at the Renault motor manufacturing group, based on works council election results.
- 28 Jul 2000
France: Controversial bill on employee savings programmes<#PDF_LINK>In June 2000, the French government announced the contents of a forthcoming bill reforming employee savings schemes, which include various forms of profit-sharing. The bill, to be debated in parliament in October, has met with opposition from the trade unions.
- 28 Jul 2000
France: Report examines precarious employment and poverty<#PDF_LINK>In June 2000, France's National Economic Planning Agency issued a report examining minimum social benefits, work-related income and precarious employment, highlighting the problems of the national welfare system. It recommends a number of reforms of labour market regulation, unemployment benefit and other aspects of social security.
- 28 Jul 2000
France: Negotiations on precarious employment in the civil service<#PDF_LINK>In late June 2000, a protocol agreement was reached by the Minister for the Civil Service and State Reform and trade unions on "the progressive elimination of insecure employment in the three branches of the civil service, and improved management of employment within the public services". The deal, which the unions had until 10 July to ratify, will give official civil servant status to many workers currently on fixed-term contracts.
- 28 Jul 2000
France: Government considers endorsement of UNEDIC agreement<#PDF_LINK>A draft agreement reforming France's UNEDIC unemployment insurance was reached in June 2000 by employers' organisations and the CFDT and CFTC trade union confederations (but not CFE-CGC, CGT and CGT-FO). However, it did not prove possible to implement the agreement by 1 July 2000, the expiry date of the existing UNEDIC accord. Therefore, the government passed a decree extending, indefinitely, the existing agreement. The government has thus gained extra time in which to consider carefully whether it should endorse the new agreement in the current sensitive political climate.
- 28 Jul 2000
France: The SMIC in the age of the 35-hour week<#PDF_LINK>As it does every year, the French government reviewed and raised the SMIC national minimum wage as of 1 July 2000. However, this year, due to the implementation of the law on the 35-hour working week, two different levels of pay, corresponding to two separate SMICs, have been laid down.
- 28 Jul 2000
France: Working time dominated bargaining in 1999<#PDF_LINK>The reduction of working time drove the collective bargaining process in France during 1999. The number of company-level agreements rose by over 130%, while sector-level bargaining was dominated by the implementation of the 35-hour working week, enabling 4.5 million employees to have their working time reduced. These are the main findings of the Ministry of Employment and Solidarity's annual bargaining report, issued in June 2000.
- 28 Jul 2000
France: New job creation pushes unemployment below 10%<#PDF_LINK>Since early July 1997, exceptionally strong employment growth has pushed down the unemployment rate in France, which fell below 10% in April 2000. A return to full employment is now a real possibility, but raises the issue of "hard-core" unemployment. In spite of the fact that unemployment remains high, some sectors are already experiencing problems in meeting their labour requirements.
- 28 Jul 2000
France: Doctors' organisations opposing current health insurance policy make election gains<#PDF_LINK>Since 1995, the French government and health insurance system have been actively promoting a policy of curbing health spending and improving the quality of healthcare. The results of the recent elections of representatives among independent doctors, published in June 2000, demonstrated relatively widespread hostility to the approach adopted by the government and health insurance system.
- 28 Jun 2000
France: Social security accounts balanced<#PDF_LINK>In May 2000, it was confirmed that, for the first time in 15 years, France's Social Security General Fund is not registering a deficit. Responses from trade unions and employers raise the question of whether this new-found equilibrium might provide the impetus for a comprehensive overhaul of the system.
- 28 Jun 2000
France: French EU Presidency sets out social policy agenda<#PDF_LINK>On 24 May 2000, Martine Aubry, the Minister for Employment and Solidarity, and Pierre Moscovici, the Junior Minister for European Affairs, presented the French National Assembly with the government's priorities for the French EU Presidency (July-December 2000) in the field of social policy. Three themes mark this agenda: the promotion of a Europe creating more high-quality jobs; making progress in building greater solidarity; and setting out a five-year social agenda for the EU.
- 28 Jun 2000
France: Court annuls 35-hour week agreement in banking<#PDF_LINK>In May 2000, the Paris Appeals Court annulled an agreement on the 35-hour week in the French banking sector, signed in January 1999 by the AFB employers' association and the SNB-CGC trade union (though not the four other representative unions). Following annulment, the majority of the industry's 230,000 employees will now be covered only by the statutory working time provisions in the Labour Code.
- 28 Jun 2000
France: Victory for striking security guards<#PDF_LINK>French security guards won substantial concessions in May 2000 after a strike lasting more than two weeks - the categorisation of their profession as "dangerous", a net monthly bonus of FRF 1,000, and commitments from employers on their safety. Security firms are seeking a contribution from their clients to fund these extra costs. Security guards have been complaining for years about the lack of priority accorded to their safety, and their very low wages. The strike allowed them to take their case to a much wider audience and gain support.
- 28 Jun 2000
France: Calls for review of trade union representativeness rules<#PDF_LINK>The statutory system governing the "representative" status of trade unions affords the major French union confederations a virtual monopoly in bargaining and representation. In May 2000, the CFDT union confederation, following the lead of CGT, came out in favour of an review of the criteria for union representativeness. It suggested that more importance should be attached to ballots among workers in legitimising union negotiators. The idea of breaking with the traditional French "rules assuming representativeness" for certain union organisations has met with strong reluctance.
- 28 Jun 2000
France: Social partners discuss draft agreement on unemployment insurance reform<#PDF_LINK>In June 2000, France's social partners were discussing a draft agreement on the reform of unemployment insurance, in negotiations which form part of the talks on overhauling the industrial relations system launched by the MEDEF employers' confederation. The key element in the draft is an obligatory employment action plan, to which unemployed people would be obliged to sign up in order to receive benefits. Several points are yet to be clarified, and some trade unions are thus reluctant to sign the deal, which will have to be altered to accommodate them.
- 28 May 2000
France: Local strikes still under way at Post Office<#PDF_LINK>Local strikes at the French Post Office (La Poste) prevented mail from being delivered in some towns and regions for several weeks in March and April 2000. The locally-negotiated implementation of the February 1999 framework agreement on the reduction of working time in the Post Office has proved more difficult than predicted, and since October 1999 the number of strikes and other actions has been increasing, particularly in the South.
- 28 May 2000
France: Industrial action by junior doctors in state hospitals<#PDF_LINK>In April 2000, junior doctors in France's state-owned hospitals held two weeks of industrial action, refusing to work at nights or weekends, over claims for improvements in pay and working time. The action ended in early May after the government made a number of concessions.
- 28 May 2000
France: MEDEF proposes new types of employment contract<#PDF_LINK>On 3 May 2000, France's MEDEF employers' confederation and the main trade union confederations debated the former's proposals for a new form of employment contract to be offered to unemployed people, and the reform of unemployment benefits. They were due to meet again in late May to review these issues, as well as new forms of "atypical" employment contract that the employers hope to introduce.
- 28 May 2000
France: France submits NAP for 2000<#PDF_LINK>France's National Action Plan (NAP) for employment, in response to the EU Employment Guidelines for 2000, was the subject of numerous discussions between the social partners and the government before being submitted in May 2000. For the first time, a review of the contribution made by the social partners to the NAP is included in the Plan itself.
- 28 May 2000
France: Report examines competition and regulation in network-based public services<#PDF_LINK>A report submitted in April 2000 by a working party of France's National Economic Planning Agency advocates various measures to combine the introduction of competition into the "network-based" public sector (eg transport and utilities) with the "fulfilment of a public service role". The report suggests setting up independent regulatory agencies, creating procedures and indicators to gauge efficiency gains and introducing new ways of managing public enterprises. The trade unions expressed certain misgivings over these recommendations.
- 28 Apr 2000
France: Successful national strike held in state education<#PDF_LINK>Following earlier industrial action held in the south of France, five trade unions called a well-supported strike in the state education sector on 16 March 2000, enabling criticism of the reform policies and person of the Minister for Education, Claude Allègre, to be channelled into one movement. The Prime Minister responded with a number of concessions.
- 28 Apr 2000
France: Negotiations open on unemployment insurance<#PDF_LINK>In March 2000, France's social partners started renegotiating the agreement on which the UNEDIC unemployment insurance scheme is based, with the talks due to conclude by the end of June. The negotiations form part of the process of discussions on overhauling French industrial relations launched by the MEDEF employers' confederation's "new social constitution" project.
- 28 Apr 2000
France: New measures to deal with increasing racism<#PDF_LINK>In March 2000, the latest report by the National Consultative Committee on Human Rights revealed a rise in racist attitudes and anti-immigrant feeling in France. The Prime Minister responded by announcing legislative changes to toughen up the fight against racial discrimination, some of which relate to employment.
- 28 Apr 2000
France: Six out of eight unions sign agreement for state-owned hospitals<#PDF_LINK>On 14 March 2000, six trade unions, (CFDT, CFE-CGC, CFTC, CGT-FO, UNSA and SNCH) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry for Employment and Solidarity, which provides for extra funding of FRF 10 billion for France's state-owned hospitals over three years, of which FRF 3.8 billion in 2000. Two unions, CGT and SUD-CRC, refused to sign the agreement, which they described as "inadequate".
- 28 Apr 2000
France: Ministry of Finance reform shelved<#PDF_LINK>On 20 March 2000, the French Minister of Finance, Christian Sautter, announced in a press release that the planned reform of the Ministry that he had unveiled in January was to be shelved. Upon leaving his post one week later, the former Minister spoke out against the "conservative" attitude of Ministry of Finance trade unions, which in his opinion, had caused the reform to founder. This explanation is regarded by some commentators as simple but insufficient.
- 28 Apr 2000
France: Prime Minister announces blueprint for pensions reform<#PDF_LINK>On 21 March 2000, Lionel Jospin, the French Prime Minister, made a long-awaited and much postponed announcement on pensions reform. After two years punctuated by several contradictory official reports, each of which diagnosed the problem and put forward recommendations, Mr Jospin announced the blueprint for this reform as teachers demonstrated and Finance Ministry civil servants pursued industrial action. The main and most controversial option relates to the scheme for civil servants working for central government, local authorities and in the health service. The plan is to raise the qualification period for retirement on a full pension to 40 years (rather than the present 37.5). Several civil service unions have demonstrated their hostility to the extension of the qualification period. The MEDEF employers' confederation, on the other hand, has criticised the entire plan, deeming it completely inappropriate to the issues of the future.
- 28 Mar 2000
France: Validation of vocational experience proposed<#PDF_LINK>In March 2000, the French Secretary of State for Vocational Training presented a bill to the cabinet on the validation of vocational experience. Under the proposed scheme, every person in employment would have the right to have his or her work experience validated and counted towards a vocational diploma or certificate. The social partners have given a mixed response to the plan.
- 28 Mar 2000
France: CGPME elects new chair<#PDF_LINK>France's General Confederation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Real Employers (CGPME) electedJacques Freidelas its chair on 8 February 2000. His election took place against a backdrop of something of an "identity crisis" for this employers' association.
- 28 Mar 2000
France: Action programme for seasonal workers in tourism<#PDF_LINK>In February 2000, France's Secretary of State for Tourism,Michelle Demessine, presented an action programme on improving the working and living conditions of seasonal workers in the tourism industry. This programme, comprised 15 measures, met with varying reaction from the social partners.
- 28 Mar 2000
France: De Carbon locks out workers<#PDF_LINK>In February 2000, the management of the De Carbon shock absorber manufacturer in France barred its employees from entering its plant for five days on the grounds that its proposed redundancy plan, cutting the workforce by more than half, had created a "climate of violence" at the site. Following a court ruling, the plant was subsequently reopened, but management refused to compensate workers for lost earnings during the lock-out.
- 28 Mar 2000
France: Further restructuring at Moulinex<#PDF_LINK>In January 2000, the management of Moulinex, the French-owned domestic appliance manufacturer, announced a major new restructuring plan, involving the disposal of loss-making product lines and significant job losses. Trade unions have rejected the plan.
- 28 Mar 2000
France: CGT-FO holds congress<#PDF_LINK>France'sCGT-FOtrade union confederation held its 19th congress from 7-10 March 2000. The congress was marked by considerable unanimity and Marc Blondel was re-elected as general secretary with 97% of the vote.
- 28 Mar 2000
France: No framework agreement on 35-hour week in civil service<#PDF_LINK>At the end of February 2000, all the representative trade unions in the French civil service, except CFDT, refused to sign a draft framework agreement on the implementation of the 35-hour week tabled by the Minister for the Civil Service. The principal reason given for this refusal was the lack of a government commitment to overall creation of jobs. In the wake of the failure of these centralised negotiations, the government will adopt minimum common rules for the civil servants employed by central government. Their implementation, along with the rules concerning the two other sets of civil servants (regional and local government, and hospitals), are to be discussed on a case-by-case basis in each authority.
- 28 Feb 2000
France: Debate over trade union funding<#PDF_LINK>In early January 2000, the Le Mondenewspaper published a report by France's General Inspectorate of Social Affairs, alleging that there is "a system of direct or indirect funding" of the five nationally representative trade union confederations by CRI, one of the social security bodies jointly managed by employers and unions. This rekindled the debate over the funding of the trade union movement.
- 28 Feb 2000
France: Industrial unrest at the Post Office<#PDF_LINK>Following a framework agreement concluded in February 1999, the implementation of the 35-hour working week in the French Post Office though local-level bargaining is proving complex and controversial. In January 2000, strikes and industrial action had been disrupting mail distribution for over three months.
- 28 Feb 2000
France: Controversy over 35-hour week in road haulage<#PDF_LINK>The implementation of the 35-hour working week in the French road haulage sector triggered protests by the industry's employers, which blockaded French border crossings in mid-January 2000. Following negotiations with the employers, the government adopted a new draft decree putting in place specific provisions for the road haulage sector. Employers were satisfied with these measures - however trade unions were not, and in turn set up their own blockades on 1 February.
- 28 Feb 2000
France: Renegotiation of 35-hour week agreement in metalworking<#PDF_LINK>A new agreement on the application of France's 35-hour working week law in the metalworking sector was signed on 29 January 2000. It slightly amends the controversial agreement on the same issue signed in July 1998. While the CFTC, CGT-FO and CFE-CGC trade unions have signed the new agreement,CGTand CFDT have yet to do so.
- 28 Feb 2000
France: Staff unhappy about Ministry of Finance reform plan<#PDF_LINK>In January and February 2000, civil servants in France's Ministry of Economy and Finance took part in a number of well-supported one-day strikes, following the announcement of reform measures by the Minister, Christian Sautter, aimed largely at simplifying procedures and bringing the taxation system closer to the tax-payer. Trade unions claim that there have been no real negotiations on the plans.
- 28 Feb 2000
France: Towards a comprehensive overhaul of French industrial relations?<#PDF_LINK>Following the call from France's MEDEF employers' confederation in November 1999 for the establishment of a "new social constitution", overhauling the French system of industrial relations, the leaders of all the main trade union confederations and employers' associations met on 3 February 2000. From these talks emerged a joint list of eight main issues for negotiation in 2000.
- 28 Jan 2000
France: Talks on 35-hour week in civil service<#PDF_LINK>Negotiations between the Ministry for the Civil Service and trade unions on the implementation of a 35-hour working week in the French civil service were finally due to commence in mid-January 2000. The government is hoping that a framework agreement covering the three sectors of the civil service (the state, regional and local government, and hospitals) can be signed quickly, but the unions are tying their endorsement of any agreement to a government commitment on jobs.
- 28 Jan 2000
France: Slight increase in minimum benefits for uninsured unemployed<#PDF_LINK>French unemployed associations used the 1999-2000 Christmas and New Year period to demand an increase in minimum social security benefits, as they had done in 1997-8. The government responded by raising the three types of minimum benefits for unemployed people not covered by unemployment insurance by 2%. This was judged insufficient by the organisations concerned.
- 28 Jan 2000
France: Elections of employee representatives in education sector<#PDF_LINK>Elections were held in December 1999 for employee representatives on joint committees in the French public education, teaching and vocational guidance sector. Coming one year after major industrial unrest in the public education system, the results of the elections were eagerly awaited. The FSU trade union federation, which is opposed to current education reforms, maintained its leading position.
- 28 Jan 2000
France: Report launches new stage in pensions debate<#PDF_LINK>In January 2000, France's Economic and Social Council adopted a report on the reform of the pensions system. The report takes a very different approach to that of the controversial earlier Charpin report, the other main contribution to the government's thinking on this issue. The majority of trade unions (except CFDT) are in favour of the new report, but employers voted against it. The government is due to announce the main lines of its reform proposals in February 2000.
- 28 Jan 2000
France: New agreement signed in banking<#PDF_LINK>On 10 January 2000, the Association of French Banks (AFB) and the trade unions signed a new collective agreement for the banking sector. Although the new agreement constitutes a step backwards from the previous one - which had been terminated by the employers - in some respects, it is still an advance on French labour law provisions. However, the deal does not address the fundamental issue of the implementation of the 35-hour working week.
- 28 Jan 2000
France: Debate continues over a new social constitution and the future of the parity principle<#PDF_LINK>Since France's MEDEF employers' confederation unveiled its proposals for a "new social constitution" in November 1999, a full-scale debate has been taking place between the social partners, political leaders and intellectuals over the place and role of the social partners in public life. Between late December 1999 and late January 2000, this debate was marked by three major events.
- 28 Jan 2000
France: Universal Healthcare Insurance introduced<#PDF_LINK>France's new system of Universal Health Insurance (CMU) came into effect in January 2000. This system provides totally free healthcare to those with incomes of not more than FRF 3,500 a month. Over and above the 6 million people directly affected by the new scheme, the CMU will have an impact on the way the whole French health system operates. Industrial relations implications include a new obligation on employers with a workforce of over 50 to negotiate on top-up health insurance cover with their employees.
- 28 Jan 2000
France: Strikes hit the hospital sector<#PDF_LINK>All the trade unions in France's state-run hospital sector called a nationwide strike on 28 January 2000, demanding improved working conditions, more jobs and budget increases. This was the first time in 20 years that the unions in this sector had issued a joint strike call. The industrial action, the scale of which remains to be seen, had been expected and the issues behind the strike, linked to budgetary restrictions and organisational restructuring are not new.
- 28 Jan 2000
France: Law on the 35-hour week is in force<#PDF_LINK>From 1 February 2000, France's statutory working week was reduced from 39 to 35 hours for all companies employing over 20 people, following the promulgation of the second "Aubry" law on 19 January 2000. Held up by the government as one of its flagship job-creation measures, the complicated new law attempts to fuse two imperatives - company modernisation (with the introduction of new forms of flexibility in working time) and appropriate protection for employees in this new context. The legislation has met with a mixed reaction from the social partners.