French decide to get back to work

The French parliament recently adopted measures to allow workers to work more than 35 hours per week. The change would allow French workers to work up to 48 hours per week, if they choose to do so. This decision is facing much opposition, mainly from labor unions. They claim that this reform will end France's 35 hour work week. Labor Unions also claim that this will cause France's workers to increase their working hours with no increase in pay.

This measure was taken to make French companies more comptetitve in the world market. It has been increasingly difficult for those companies to compete with international companies whose employees work at a minimum of 40 hours per week. The French have had a 35 hour work week since 1998, when Socialists cut the work week from 39 hours in an attempt to curb unemployment.

Politically, this could affect France's ratification of the European Union's new constitution. The referendum for this issue will occur on May 29th and due to anti-government protests, enough voters could sway the decision to "no."