It's France, not Greece, Spain, or Italy, that may be the "sick man" threatening the health of...

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JP Professional Comments (56)
 
Those is France think the Americans are the crazy ones with 40 plus hour work weeks. Living life to the fullest, never included sitting behind a computer screen for half of your waking hours!!
28 Dec 2012, 10:03 AM Reply Like

Tony Petroski Comments (6373)
 
Mr. JP Professional. You make a good point. What's even crazier is to work more than 40 hours a week staring at a computer screen and manipulating data, and then going home and "relaxing" by way of staring at a computer screen and manipulating data.

This problem is soon to be solved for us. Already many businesses are cutting back hours to 35 or less to avoid the worst of the Obamacare mandates. Even if Tsar Sibelius orders them to get with the program, the prospects are for a more "French" America.

C'est la vie.
28 Dec 2012, 10:24 AM Reply Like

Petrarch Comments (363)
 
..."the French...cheese eating surrender monkeys" Homer Simpson

very hard to take the French seriously...but yes Wilbur ir right...they are Europe's "sick man"

P
28 Dec 2012, 10:13 AM Reply Like

pdtor Comments (1425)
 
P love the Simpsons. My daughter told me she learns more from the Simpsons than at school. Go figure

When I was in France several years ago. I was told by some people that of course they work more than 35 hr/week. They just report 35 hr. and get cash for the other overtime hours, which they squirrel away in a Swiss bank. Even in France the free markets work. I wonder how that law forbiding home work is working out??

Ah the French................... will never follow the Anglos
29 Dec 2012, 04:08 PM Reply Like

smurf77 Comments (9)
 
I am French and I can tell you that you got that right! Not everyone in France works 35h/week. It's more complicated than that. I.e. as a consultant there, I worked 40h to 50h a week like here in the US. I just had 6 weeks of vacation :-b (that I couldn't take because it was too much). We think americans are crazy with their 2 weeks of vacation! 3/4 weeks is good in my opinion.
28 Dec 2012, 11:02 AM Reply Like

Buddy Canuspare Comments (384)
 
I wonder if Boeing realizes that Airbus, based in France, is "sick."
28 Dec 2012, 11:34 AM Reply Like

petten Comments (117)
 
To Buddy Canuspare:

Well, Airbus is by no means sick, because the (French and German) governments give large subsidies to Airbus so airplanes are sold at discount prices (never mind the announced figures because of large under-the-table discounts given to customers).

So there you have it. The French and German tax payers/general public work the extra five hours for Airbus, so their employees can work just 35 hours.
28 Dec 2012, 05:02 PM Reply Like

Buddy Canuspare Comments (384)
 
Didn't the WTO step in and force Airbus to refund those subsidies which, as I remember, were said to be no larger than those the US taxpayers gave Boeing?
31 Dec 2012, 07:49 PM Reply Like