France 5: Working hours

As some might know the French have a 35 hour working week, which their parliament passed only a few years ago.

It was passed in the belief that it would raise employment because if people worked less companies would have to employ more people. This might seem logical and it will generate a few extra jobs in that way. But what it fails to take into account is that there isn't a set amount of work to be done by the work-force (the exact name for the theorem evades me). Secondly there are overheads for every new job. So 7 people working 40 hours is a lot cheaper that 8 people working 35 hours even though the total man hours is that same. If you feel you can add to the argument please feel free to comment on the post.

There is of course the argument that working less will increase productivity and I do believe that productivity in France is higher than Britain. So that might create more activity and therefore more jobs.

Now what I am about to tell you is not for the feint hearted. I want you to be sitting down for this. Brace yourself. Women please loosen your corsets, men your neck ties. Women have your fans ready and men some smelling salts on ones person.

So my day is structured thus: I get up at around 6 20, get dressed and pop down to the boulangier. I will usually pick up a warm baguette and some sort of patesury. I then return home, eat some more small lunch, cup-o-t. I me brush my teeth [sic], reflexibly. Pop on my fixie*

*Fixie is a single speed(only one gear) courier bike were the rotation of the pedals is fixed to the rotation of the back wheel.
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