Trente-cinq heures, les

   (see also RTT) In the year 2000, the socialist government of Lionel Jospin reduced the statutory working week in France from 39 hours to 35 hours - without loss of salary. Though the measure was accompanied by other changes in workplace legislation, including greater flexibility for employers and employees, and though the productivity of labour in France increased by over 4% as a result, the introduction of the 35-hour working week was not a good move for the French economy, particularly at a time of increasing globalization, and the rapid development of imports manufactured in low-labour-cost countries. The conservative Raffarin andVillepin governments tinkered with reform of the system that was much decried by employers, but failed to take any major action for fear of the trade unions and of hostile public reaction. It was not until the Sarkozy presidency that the official 35-hour working week legislation was to all intents and purposes rendered obsolete.