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FRANCE’S SOCIALIST PRIME minister has ordered a re-examination of laws restricting stores from opening on Sundays — reviving the debate over Industrial Revolution-era workplace protections that labour unions cherish and consumers often decry.
French law has established Sunday as a mandatory day off to help ensure rest and the quality of life — although some retailers like those in tourist areas get exemptions. Critics say the workplace protections have gone too far, crimping modern lifestyles and putting France at a disadvantage with rival nations.
Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault met with government ministers today on the subject after a court ordered two hardware chains to close 14 of their stores on Sundays — and their employees erupted in protests.
He announced that a former head of Paris’s transport authority and the state-run postal service will report on the complex issue by late November — hoping to defuse a labour crisis as workers and the jobless struggle through France’s economic slump.
“(The) government notes that Sunday rest is an essential principle in terms of protecting workers and social cohesion” while recognising that “the existence of Sunday work is a reality,” Ayrault’s office said in a noncommittal statement.
“Never on Sunday”
Many Roman Catholics and labour groups — who don’t always align politically — agree that “Never on Sunday” is a mantra to maintain when it comes to work. Still, the law, which dates back to 1906, has fanned sporadic debate.
Last week, a court ordered the Leroy Merlin and Castorama hardware chains to close their Paris-area stores on Sundays. Rival Bricorama had sued to make sure they didn’t get an unfair advantage and the court concurred.
But employees at the affected stores were among those growling the loudest over the ruling, insisting that Sunday store hours give them needed extra pay and suit customers who find it hard to shop during the work week.
“Yes Week End”
The employees donned “Yes Week End” T-shirts and mounted petition drives Sunday amid the court’s threat to slap fines of €120,000 on each store that violated the rules. For a variety of reasons — notably that some wrested a last-minute waiver from the government — the stores will temporarily stay open on Sundays, although the issue is far from resolved.
The current debate stems from a 2009 move by then-President Nicolas Sarkozy’s centre-right government that eased back curbs on Sunday store openings. The efforts faced political opposition and resulted in a mish-mash of legal waivers, special-zone exemptions and other loopholes.
Most French consumers are used to the country’s Sunday rhythm: Shopping is restricted to tourist areas or owner-operated, mom-and-pop-style stores. Restaurants are exempt, but even supermarkets only open a half-day — with some exceptions.
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Alot to be said for places not opening 24/7,
When I was growing up alot of pubs and shops used to close for a few hours Thursday evening and they’d close half day or a few hours on Sunday.
As time went on this has obviously changed, now we have a culture where people can barely survive shops being closed one or two days a year, it’s pathetic.
True Barry. We want it, and we want it now these days. Convenience. Everything is supposedly about convenience. I’ve been thinking and rethinking about this a lot lately. I went to lidl about 6pm this eve for a grocery shop. They had no veg, shelves were empty. So I got what I could there and headed 100 yards next door to Dunnes to get the veg {I go through a lot of it and don’t eat much meat}.
But, had I waited til tomorrow, and I easily could have had, I could have drove or even walked to a local lady here, a farmer, that subsidises her income by growing and selling fresh veg at her house. I didn’t. I didn’t even think of her, and I haven’t called to her for 3 years or so.
Anyway, your post made me think away to myself for the last few mins. Thanks.
we only have a media that report and have a fascination about what happens in britain and america
Our society follows them religiously
It would be great if we followed european countries more and starting focusing on families and less focus on commercialism
We will however hear cries about jobs,jobs,jobs
Maybe the French have the right idea. Here greedy companies demanding ever increasing profits resort to opening the day after Christmas Day, New Years Day and midnight openings all throughout December in an ever increasing scramble to fill the greasy till. It’s not the useless managers in suits pushing numbers that it affects but the grunt workers on the ground who have no choice.
Does your employer open on Sundays?
@soneps What a complete load of crap. Your angry tirade against shop owners and retailers in general completely fails to acknowledge how many are struggling to keep the business open and staff employed. The “greasy till” analogy is totally out of touch.
In France people know they have to get what they need in the other 6 days and they manage to do that successfully.
Businesses and their staff win in this no doubt as the business costs are spread over a shorter week for the same turnover and happy staff spend a day with family consuming more.
They have it right, it is not an inconvenience, it’s actually very civilised but its France and its a Republic that legislates for the good and benefit of its people whereas we are a quasi republic which doesn’t give a fcuk about its people.
Sure Jim, that’s why the practice was brought in 10 years ago when there was no struggle. The fact is one company tries to capitalise by opening longer hours than a competitor. All of a sudden you have created a race to the bottom in which all competitors must do the same. Sad to see shops such as Next opening at 7am on the 26th and some shops even opening on Christmas Day.
If you dont want to shop on a sunday then don’t. It really is that simple. Reason shops are open here is because their is enough business for them to do so. Its business. They’re not going to open if it means losing money.
Opening Sundays should be a business decision. Not a Nanny state imposing their out dated religious hang ups on people trying to work and earn a living and those who work and don’t have time during the week.
It’s this kind of government control that has Europe fcuked
Europe got fcuked because of a lack of government control and regulation.
It has nothing to do with religion. It is about workers, it is about relentless pressure. It is and always has been the (non-religious) case in Germany that shops do not open on Sunday and mostly on Saturday afternoon too.
Unlike ireland, France has proper separation of church and state so putting Frances decision down to religion is utter nonsense.
Don’t believe me on the separation stuff, try teaching religion in school in France. Now look at Ireland with its 93% Catholic ethos nonsense.
Exactly ! Also it’s good for society to have a day off! Multi-nationals don’t care they want money and they will squeeZe workers dry in aid of that goal! ! So a law to protect people from this is to be welcomed!
Totally after Barry. The French do things like this to encourage work/life balance. Even the primary schools are closed every Wednesday to promote them doing extra curriculars like music and sport. The debate is difficult to call these days though, and I do also agree with other points about businesses just trying to keep afloat!
*totally agree
OoOoOo pretty shoes!
& NEXT Sale on St Stephens Day @ 07.00! What’s that about?
I feel awful sorry for employees that no doubt start prepping stuff in the store from 6am onwards
It wouldn’t work in Ireland, because the nurses would be looking for €200 p/h, to work on a Sunday.
Those pesky nurses! Working extremely long shifts, caring for sick people, dealing with huge amounts of stress yet keeping their cool! They are everything that’s wrong with our society…
Sunday was the most boring day of the week, I hope that that we never again return to shops closed on Sunday.
Is shopping your only remedy for boredom?
Obviously not!
Francis, take up a hobby or read a few books. There’s far more to life than browsing around a shop that is open every other day of the week.
I want all shops and pubs to be open 24/7 365 days a year I think its great get what ever you want when you want I used to hate Sundays when I was a kid nothing opened and the place like a ghost town
Some of the big chains are putting pressure on the government to change the law. Two in particular are leading the charge. Their greed knows no bounds …
And if they dont get their way?? They’ll burn the place down!! Fu**ing french
Unlike the Irish who just roll over and take a shafting! Gwan the French!
We’ve a lot to learn from the French, lets pay them to have our revolution! The Irish just moan, do nothing and dream about it!
Why not instead bring in a law saying Sunday is an optional day off work and let employers bargain? Im sure many would be glad of the work. Once a fair minimum wage and optional weekend work is the norm then let the market decide.
The French I’ve never quite figured out. As crude a generalisation as this is, most French people I’ve met are extraordinarily arrogant. But there’s nothing sexier than the French accent. Even though I can’t speak French I love the sound of it. Love it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3Fa4lOQfbA
Listen to that youtube link and tell me otherwise. Je t’aime… moi non plus – big 60′s hit.
Spoken french in a thick Kerry accent is a real babe puller. Cant get their knickers off fast enough. You should try it.
Parisians can be arrogant, the rest of France is like a different country – very different type of people. I work with a few and they are very sound.
Well given the choice of listening to Brigitte Bardot, or Jane Birkin singing in french or the amazing Edith Piaf in vocal flight in French, or some sean nos singer in a mouldy pub I know what I’d choose.
I can’t help drawing parallels between the beauty of the French language and the harshness of the Irish language. Would someone ever put the Irish language out of its misery….
@John. Now that you mention it any French people I’ve come to know over the years have been Parisians. Maybe I need to rethink it.
I love Paris, but there’s way too many Frenchies living in it!!
I live in Norway and everything except garden centres , cafes and small little grocery shops are open on Sundays . It’s not a religious country at all . It used to annoy me when I moved here first because if you needed anything u had to get it by 4 or so on a Saturday . But really it’s a good thing it makes Sundays more relaxing .
All large shops should be closed on Sundays same as in France. Open later during the week if they want. Dundrum SC & the likes are ridiculous. I have a family member who has to leave home on Xmas day evening to go back to Dublin because her greedy multi-national employer wants her in at 8am on St Stephens day. Govts should be doing what is good for the people not what is good for big business.
.24hr Shop @ Tesco! Smyths Toys open till 23.00! Etc etc. .Get a life.
was in munich at the weekend and it was packed…everyone window shopping or eating in restaurants and drinking in cafes. Im sure they could have done a lot of business had they been open. Sunday is a day of rest in Bavaria and all shops are closed. If you want to shop do it on a Saturday or any other day of the week. If shops are open everyday then everyday is the same all year round.
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