AMERICAN CEMETERY
I just returned from a brief trip to Holland where I found
an unexpected connection to the current shut-down of the American government. As
I was driving along the road between Maastricht and Aachen, I noticed that the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten
was closed and that a note was posted on the gate. It read: "Due to the U.S. Government shut-down this site is closed to the public".  |
| Netherlands American Cemetery, Margraten |
Shame on the breathtaking irresponsibility of those who forced this shut-down, which I hope voters will remember during the next election.
BACK IN FRANCE...
There is a heated debate going on in France over the right
to work on Sundays. In a country with high unemployment and an economy under
pressure, one might think that those who want to work on Sundays should be
allowed to do so. But this is France, the country of the 35-hour workweek and
long vacations, where the Workless Sunday law of 1906 still applies even though
certain exceptions have been granted over time. Aside from obvious areas such
as health workers, agriculture, museums, the hospitality industry, and mom-and-pop
shops without employees, the list of officially granted dispensations has grown
over time and is today so confusing as to be a source of constant dispute.
France is a lay country where the Christian Sunday as
"Day of the Lord" has long since been replaced with "day for
rest and family", protected by law in one form or another as early as
1700. This protection waned during the industrial revolution with its abuse of
workers, and via adjustments and reinforcements finally led to the 1906 law that
is still in place. Under those rules, all employees have a right to one day of
rest per week, usually granted on Sunday. However, ever since women have entered the
workforce and domestic life has changed, many people are in favor of shopping
on Sunday and have petitioned the government to relax the rules. On the
condition that no employee may be forced to work on Sunday, several large chain
stores have received permission to open (home furnishings, gardening) but only
in certain areas, and certain smaller shops were allowed open Sundays in areas
of high tourist traffic. Several large home improvement stores (Bricorama,
Leroy Merlin) immediately claimed the same right and opened on Sundays, but they were turned down and fined
€120,000 per day per shop for breaking the law. They collectively appealed
these fines, their employees signed a petition, and the matter will now be
discussed in Parliament in November. 
The older population remains divided on the issue, but the
younger generation and especially students who can only work on weekends ask to
work on Sundays. A recent IFOP poll indicated that 69% of the French feel that
those stores that want to open on Sunday should be allowed to do so.
The greatest resistance comes from several workers unions,
particularly Force Ouvrière (FO), who have
staged protests and marches against this "Americanization of France".
Labor Minister Michel Sapin makes no bones about where he stands: "Pas question de toucher au repos dominical!"
All eyes are now on President François Hollande who will
have to wade through the murky rules-and-exceptions governing this issue and
make the final call.
AU REVOIR IN NOVEMBER
Tomorrow I'll be leaving France for one month in the United
States. I look forward to seeing you again on Provence Today around mid-November.
