France-bashing has been going on for centuries. Some of it is well deserved; but a good deal can also be attributed to political spin, cultural misunderstanding, gastronomic envy, an ancient Anglo-Gallic grudge, and a hint of media hype. Over the past several weeks, one story in particular has made headlines : Workers in Socialist France can now ignore telephone calls and emails from their bosses when they are at home. It is all part of a new legal agreement which confirms President François Hollande’s country as arguably the laziest in Europe… The law specifically makes it illegal for workers in the digital and consultancy sectors … to respond to emails or phone calls after 6pm. As it turns out, the journalist who first reported the story kinda sorta got it wrong.
Which got me thinking - if the majority of people reading the original article and countless spin-offs do not actually dig to find the facts of the story, does it really matter? The story feels like it should be right - those lazy 35-hour per week Frenchmen, right?!?! - so I can see how it would be accepted at face value, and voila!, a new version of the truth. In reality, most French people do in fact work longer than the 35-hour "official" work week (mine is 40), and many still struggle to make ends meet. This is a country with deep cultural history that is evolving, just like every culture in the world, with each new generation and the absorption of immigrant communities. There are shades of grey in every society. BUT... in solidarity with the world's perceived/occasionally-accurate view of France, I'm not at work today. And neither is the rest of the country. Because today is not only May Day, it's also the Fête du Travail - or Labor Day. Yep, instead of heralding the end of summer and a new school year, Labor Day in France is also a celebration of springtime, as it was traditionally a good time to give farmers a day off after the crops had been planted. Unfortunately for me, this is actually the busiest time of year at work, so my electronic device is most definitely on and it's humming. But never mind - it's time to celebrate the end of a long winter, and work/relax along with rest of Europe. Happy May Day!
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AuthorBecause why not get married and move to Paris to really kick off your thirties? Archives
December 2016
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