Are The French Spoiled?

Paris was on the brink of widespread flooding, which did occur in one part of the city and in several places in France.  Despite this catastrophic menace,  the French seemed more concerned about keeping up their resistance to the new labor law by multiple strikes and continued protests.

Besides the rising Seine and other rivers already spilling over their banks, air traffic controllers joined in the already prevalent rail workers and Parisian transport authority strikes.

The French worker never seems to be even half satisfied, despite some really terrific protections and benefits, that few in the rest of the world can claim.

When out taking the photos of the swollen Seine, I noticed that the subways were more crowded than usual and fewer buses ran, making getting around the city slower.  While waiting for a bus that never came, I enjoyed chatting to a Chinese tourist, who already had a train canceled, looking puzzled like the rest of us why this happens so often here.

Air France pilots will be joining the workers of the French railways, SNCF and the RATP,  the Parisian transport authority that continue to strike every day.

All of this happening just in time for the Euro 2016, which starts on Friday!   What a welcome for tourists who continue to pour in, if they can,  for the event and to see this beautiful city!

With several rivers spilling over, it looked like mother nature was trying to distract the French from all of their stagnating thinking and constant uproar about the new labor law.

The new labour law seems to only be tweaked, with many of the same provisions in place.  Employers do seem to have been given greater power to negotiate days off and reduce overtime pay.

While the Louvre and Musee D’Orsay took preparations to protect their masterpieces, many Parisians took in the spectacle of seeing the Seine at its highest in 30 years.

The rest of the country wondered if they were going to have enough gasoline this summer, if the oil refinery workers go on strike again as they did two weeks ago, causing long lines at service stations.

The bottom line is that the French and especially the young are absolutely terrified of this new labor law being stuffed down their throats without a parliamentary vote by President Francois Hollande, which I can certainly understand.

What I do have difficulty comprehending is how they have embraced these cumbersome labor laws so long, that in my perspective clogs up the pipeline to increase hiring in the long run.

France has battled with over 10% unemployment for quite some time.  The workforce is in part stagnated with employees who never have to worry about their performance nor productivity because they are hired practically for life.

Wheels of change move very slowly here, if they move at all.  Traditional ways of thinking and doing things may be wonderful in some areas such as maintaining food quality such as France’s gastronomy and beautiful wines that is a rightful national treasure and pride.

You have to see the resistance from a French perspective that is very different from an American one. Where you grow up certainly does colour one’s vision of how things “should” be, as cultural bias always play a part of our opinions.

The French have grown up with a tremendous social safety net from cradle to coffin, that would make many American workers and citizens envious.

No one here has to ever worry about going bankrupt for a catastrophic disease, or pre-existing disease, or maternity bills as there is excellent and comprehensive healthcare to all citizens,.   Then there is retirement at 60 possible and even 50 years to rail workers, though this will be changing. 

Ah, the paid vacation time is an unbelievable 5  to 7 weeks!  That does not include 11 public holidays, plus 2 more for those living in Alsace Lorraine.

France is extremely pro family and each child allows the family to be paid extra money.    At seven months of your pregnancy, you are given 923 euros  to offset initial costs, but of course, births are 100% paid for.

Adoption couples receive 1,846 euros upon arrival of the baby.  Postnatal visits to check on the baby and mother are free and can be done at home.

In a family earning less than 67,408, two children gives you 129 extra euros per month and with 3 kids, 300 euros.  Each additional child you receive 165 euros and the payments increase at the age of 14, by 64 euros.

There is the generous paid 16 weeks maternity leave and 26 for the third child.  Eleven days paternity leaves are granted to fathers.

There is also a housing allowance for families under a certain income. Days off for family events, like  4 days for death within immediate family, are one day for children’s marriage, etc. are given.

Families in France never have to go into debt to pay for their child’s higher education, nor do students end up bogged down with student loans, like the poor American students. Public university tuitions are minimal or practically free in comparison to the states.

If you are let go, you generally have three months between being told and termination, during which time you can spend at home. The unemployment amounts are very generous at up to 57% of a salary, with duration up to 3 years.   Free job advancement training is always available.

Any  proposed changes and interference with how it is woven in the new law was immediately interpreted as doing away with the job security their parents had and they rightfully feel they deserve.

You see it is very difficult to get fired in France, once you have been awarded a CDI, or contract of indeterminable length.  Because employers know well in advance of this law that prevents them from letting someone go, they are indeed very reluctant to hiring new employees with that type of contract.

More than often, most are hired with having a CDD, or contract that limits the duration of their work to a specified time limit.  If they prove worthwhile to the employers, they can then be offered a CDI.

That CDI is crucial though to being able to rent an apartment or buy a house with a mortgage.  I have often thought it is far easier to buy property in Paris than rent an apartment.

Prospective renters have to compete with others, usually waiting in line, each one hoping that their financial records will look better and more secure than the next in order to secure a rental contract.

The reason property owners are extremely selective about who they rent to is somewhat similar to the plight of French employers.  It is very difficult for property owners to get rid of renters who do not pay their rent.  Whereas one can be evicted in a few weeks back home, here it usually takes two years!

Additionally, it is forbidden to expel someone during the cold months of winter.  Unfortunately some French, quite aware of this take advantage of the system, knowing they can stay without paying one cent.

Striking and manifesting is engrained into the French mentality, whether it makes any difference or not.  Besides, I think they rather enjoy doing it as it must certainly give them a sense of power, not otherwise felt, and they are paid for a certain number of strike days!

From an American perspective, where one can be fired in a New York second and told to clear out their office in 30 minutes, French have long enjoyed job securities that American workers do not have.

French employers with more than 49 employees are extremely reluctant to hire someone with  CDI contract because after a three month trial period, it becomes very difficult to fire them, whether they are non productive or even if your business suffers from a loss.

Certainly, all these very strict labor laws have increased reluctance of international companies to set up offices in France and decreased entrepreneurial step ups.  All in all creating fewer opportunities for jobs, that the French have trouble in seeing.

Yes, the taxes are higher here to compensate for all those benefits, and the salaries are lower, though workers get 13 months of salary instead of 12.  Frankly, I see the quality of life here better and as being much less stressful in daily living.

If you visit Paris in August and see all those businesses, restaurants closed for a whole month, certainly, you must wonder how they deal with losing a month’s worth of business.

For the vast majority of French, making money is not the national pastime and passion, as it is in America! Nor is consumerism, although that has risen.

When I was a student, many businesses closed for 3 to 4 hours for lunch, which still happens with a fair amount of food merchants in Paris and more so in smaller cities.

Time off to spend with family and relax on vacation is seen as fundamental right, not a privilege.  Low income families here can obtain vacation allotments to help with vacations.

Americans enjoy much greater salaries, but very little vacation time to enjoy whatever those big salaries afford them to  buy.  Very sadly, I have seen some American retirees, who retire much later, be in too poor of health to take advantage or enjoy their remaining years.

Groaning and complaining with increased negatively seems to be engrained in French mentality, where “no” and “not possible” are much for frequent than yes or “lets see”.

Certainly, there are many French who work very hard to provide for their families.  I just wish they would look at all the protections and benefits they have in comparison to the rest of the world, with the exception of Scandinavia.

From the outside, some might see them as spoiled, having grown up with all their safety nets.  Of course, I am coming from my American perspective and understand that colours my perception.

I do not presume to know what it is like to grow up French, and one can never understand in full a nationality unless they were born and grew up under a certain culture. What do you think?

P.S.  Though I tried my best to include current information, there be mistakes, so any corrections are welcome!