At the same time increasing numbers of workers are critical of the law, which would allow the bosses to restructure their operations in such a way that very few jobs will in fact be created. This has been part of the discussion at actions by workers, including a 50,000-strong demonstration here October 16 against layoffs and for jobs.

The bosses' rally was called by the employers' organizations MEDEF and CGPME. It is only the second time in 20 years that these groups have organized such a rally. They were joined by the capitalist farmers organization FNSEA and by UNAPL, which organizes small artisans and professionals.

MEDEF president Ernest-Antoine Sellière spoke at the rally. "If you mock the existing labor agreements you will see the results," he threatened. "Full employment can only be attained with us. Not without us. Not against us… The Aubry laws are laws against business."

The big-business daily Le Figaro denounced the 35-hour workweek law as a measure "against businesses and jobs."

Alain Madelin, president of the conservative Liberal Democracy party, promised that when a conservative government returns to power in France the 35-hour law will be annulled. The current government is a coalition of the Socialist Party (SP), French Communist Party (CP), Greens, and the Citizens Movement, a split off from the SP.

The 35-hour workweek is to be established through two laws. The first, adopted two years ago, opened negotiations between the unions and the bosses. During this period a number of agreements were signed at local companies.

The second law, currently being debated by the National Assembly, is to set the conditions under which the law is to be applied. Sellière presented the bosses' position that the agreements already signed with the unions be respected and that the new law not impose stiffer conditions.

Some of the bosses present at the rally threatened to quit France if the law passed. Bruno Grandpierre, the president of two different companies, said, "35 hours—I'm going to the United States! Seventy jobs lost for France!"

Others complained of the social taxes that employers have to pay to finance the social security system.

While the bosses were holding their rally, between 10,000 and 25,000 workers were demonstrating at the other end of Paris. The demonstration was part of a national day of protest called by the CGT trade union confederation for "a law that will create jobs." The CGT, which is associated with the CP, called for modifying the draft of the second law.

The day of action drew between 30,000 and 70,000 workers nationwide. Several other smaller unions joined the action as well as committees of unemployed. But the other large union confederations such as Force Ouvrière and the CFDT did not support the action.  
 

Workers oppose hours 'annualization'

The 35-hour workweek law is an extremely complicated document. In a series of stages, it lowers the legal workweek to 35 hours from its current level of 39 hours. However, this "35-hour week" is seen as an annual average, thus allowing many weeks of unpaid overtime, including work on Saturdays, followed by days off. Such "annualization" of work time has been a long-term demand of the bosses.

At the Peugeot auto factory at Poissy near Paris, the agreement signed drops coffee breaks and job training time from the calculation of the average working week, although such time will still be paid through a special bonus.

Thus, to reach a 35-hour week, the company only had to reduce production by 1.5 hours per week. In addition, the speed of the assembly line has been increased by 25 percent. So far, no one has been hired to make up for the reduced work time. When details of the local agreement were announced, spontaneous work stoppages took part in the several parts of the Peugeot factory.

In most cases, the reduced average workweek will not lead to reduced wages. The reduced work time will be compensated for by a special bonus. However, it is not decided whether newly hired workers will receive this bonus, thus opening up the door to a nationwide two-tier wage system.  
 

March for jobs, against layoffs

The October 16 march of 50,000 workers demanding jobs and an end to layoffs was called following the announcement by tire manufacturer Michelin that the company would slash 7,500 jobs, even as it posts record profits. Communist Party general secretary Robert Hue issued the call for the action, and it was supported by the Greens and Citizens Movement. Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, the head of the Socialist Party, opposed the call for the demonstration. Two centrist groups, Workers Struggle (LO) and the Revolutionary Communist League (LCR), signed the call. None of the trade unions endorsed the action.

Hours before the demonstration began, CP officials announced they had reached an agreement with the government on adjustments to the 35-hour law and would be voting for it. Raymond Schwenke, a full-time staffer for the CP who took part in the demonstration, argued that this was "the most important consequence of this action" because the amendment "makes it an obligation for a company to create new jobs whenever public funds are used to help finance its transition to the 35-hour week."

The new amendment, however, does not specify how many new jobs must be created in order to qualify for government assistance. It would allow government aid to companies that hire only one person.

The current government was elected based on a campaign promise to reduce unemployment by reducing the work week. In a recent poll, only 23 percent thought the new law would reduce unemployment.

Unemployment in France has stayed above 9 percent for the last 15 years. It was 12.6 percent in 1997 and has declined only slightly since then. These high rates are part of a long-term trend: unemployment in France averaged 4.2 percent during the 1970s, doubled to a 9.3 percent average in the 1980s, and has averaged 11.5 percent during the 1990s.

The number of those working part-time grew to 16.5 percent by 1996. One-quarter of women workers are in part-time jobs today. The bosses have increased use of temporary workers, generally subcontracted through employment agencies such as Manpower.

Young people and women have been hit hardest by the economic crisis. Marching behind a banner of the CGT Unemployed Committee from the Ardennes region, Farida said that she has finally found a part-time training program at a hospital. "We are paid for four weeks work at the hospital and then unpaid for four weeks of classes," she explained. "There are no plans to hire anyone at the end of the program. We have no job security and can be thrown out of the training program at any time." She asked that her full name not be published.

Mounting criticism of the Aubry law by both bosses and workers is not the only problem facing the government. For several weeks, tens of thousands of high school students have been demonstrating throughout France, demanding more teachers and materials. Over 150,000 demonstrated September 30 and over 100,000 again on October 7. The Paris demonstration of over 10,000 was largely dominated by students from the technical high schools in the working class suburbs.

Nat London and Thierry Bernard contributed to this article.  
 
 
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