Sunday work in political debate Sunday working in debate:
Nicolas Sarkozy explained Rethel (Ardennes), Oct. 28. "Why continue to prevent anyone who wants to work on Sundays? , asked the president, as he likes rhetorical questioning in this case. C 'is a day of growth Increasingly, it's purchasing power and more. You still have to think of the families who have the right, the days they do not work, go to shop in stores that are open and not closed automatically . " And the head of state and supporter of "liberate all of this" , invited parliamentarians to "seize without taboos" of the proposal Bill filed to this effect in early August by the MP (UMP) of the Bouches-du-Rhone Richard Mall.
debate is launched:
In an interview published in the Journal du Dimanche , Luc Chatel said that "wherever stores open on the seventh day, the activity was promoted . According to him, "the e commerce Sunday's jobs and growth". " "Our goal is to relax the law, but by preserving the local equilibrium," he added, estimating that it will be for "industries, not the law" to define the conditions of any refusal employees.
According to a poll published by Ifop Publicis Consultants and directed the JDD 22 and September 23, 67% of French agree to work on Sundays, which is paid more than a week, if their employer offered. They were 59% to give the same response in December 2007, in a previous survey.
It "shows that minds are changing," said Xavier Bertrand Sunday on France 2. must be given the opportunity to work on Sundays, but on a voluntary basis , "said Minister of Labour, insisting on" safeguards "to make. He supported that employees be paid "twice" that day.
Yet everyone disagrees in particular trade unions dispute the effectiveness of these measures:
The visit that the two ministers made in Thiais Village illustrated the controversy on the subject. Twenty prefectural exemptions were granted in August, signs of this shopping center, whose stores Decathlon, Boulanger or Fnac but unions CFTC and FOR have challenged the tribunal. The appeal is suspensive, this retail center, apart from Ikea, are subject to penalties if they fail to comply with the law.
"We regret that two ministers are legitimate signs outlawed, said two officers of the CFTC, Eric Scherrer and Joseph Thouvenel, who arrested the ministers. Both unionists have said that Sunday working would the "d ESTRUCTION stable than 100,000 jobs in small independent businesses to downtown."
at: work Sunday
showed up weaknesses in the JDD poll and presented another survey (by the way as questionable ) controlled by FOR to BVA:
As economists they are at least skeptical about the value of a such as:
For the director of the Research Centre for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions (Credoc), Robert Rochefort,
"no economist can say we need to open across the Sunday ".
In the pages of the world views an excellent article ASKENAZY p:
The price of Sunday, by Philippe Askenazy "The current debate seems a repeat of the beginning of last century on the Sunday holiday for everyone. arguments on the occasion of the 1906 Act can be found in the mouth of the same players. The employers supported the Sunday work. The Catholic Church wishes to maintain this day holiday, devoted to church and family. The unions will add the needed rest of the employees. It only lacks the military: the wear of youth by working 7 days on 7 raised concerns about the ability of France to raise an army of soldiers able to wash the humiliation of 1870. This last argument had finally bring progress is undeniable that the Sabbath. "
comparison with USApays which has long been a fan of horraires shifted and whose amplitude is maximal:
" Let's cross however the Atlantic. United States, the Most supermarkets (food) are open 24 hours on 24, 7 / 7. Yet signs are quietly lobbying for regulation of opening hours. In fact, they find themselves in an expensive balance become vicious. The fierce competition prevents, or risk losing valuable customers, reduce the amplitude of opening. And this high amplitude involves two major costs.
The first is energy. Supermarkets, particularly food, are among the most energy-intensive activities : powerful entirely artificial lighting, heating or air conditioning immense volumes, large rays refrigeration open and often manipulated. In this time of the Grenelle Environment Forum, he is so funny that we do not question the environmental impact of Sunday opening in France "
The second major cost is labor. Overseas Atlantic, despite the absence (or weakness) of bonus for night work and Sunday, the high amplitude zone participates in consumer expenditure per hour worked in small shops: in the food, they are twice low in the U.S. than in France.
On the site of a capital P Burban representatives of the artisans are two other limitations:
Capital.fr: Easing Sunday working would be following two principles: voluntary and pay doubled. Is not this a good thing? Pierre Burban
: (Laughs) .... An employee who refuses once, then again Sunday work will position itself in an awkward position in front of his employer. And double the pay is not an element to justify a generalization of work on Sunday.
Capital.fr: Working on Sunday is expected to create jobs by government. This will be there at the expense of small businesses? Pierre Burban
: This idea of creating jobs is questionable. A generalization Sunday working will benefit the big retail groups. But it will destroy jobs in the local shops. Indeed, the same turnover, it employs three times more staff than supermarkets
Finally P ASKENAZY note:
The theoretical impact of the opening Sunday is thus ambiguous. Hence the importance of empirical work on the North American cases. U.S. states or Canadian provinces do not simultaneously deregulated opening shops on Sundays. The statistical analysis of this diversity allows identify the specific effects of this deregulation. Estimates are converging. United States and Canada, the net effect on employment is modest but real: the order of 1 to 2% of additional posts. In contrast, the number of hours available per employee remains unchanged: those who work on Sunday losing hours on weekdays, with a total impact on their salary is very low. This probably leads the UMP to advocate a double payment of basic pay on Sundays. But that may exacerbate the costs borne by businesses. Yet already, without such a doubling, the North American studies are unanimous : Sunday opening results in a price increase of about 4%. In France, if the salary is in addition to doubling the glaring weakness of competition between retailers in many parts of the territory a more massive impact on prices is a concern. In fact, there is no miracle that the additional service is purchased Sunday at a cost and this cost is charged or overcharged, customers. Even for those who do not do their shopping on Sunday!
bet that in a crisis purchasing power, prices will quickly argument put forward by employers in the sector ... to demand back on the commitment of doubling earnings, once liberalization achieved. So as not to truncate the debate. And, in particular, ask the French a full question: Do you want a Sunday opening of shops left to suffer higher prices
the global primary energy demand grows by 1.6% per year on average between 2006 and 2030 - an increase of 45%. Figure lower than expected last year, mainly due to the impact of the economic downturn, the prospect of higher prices and new policy initiatives. 
The gap between rich and poor widened and the number of people living below the poverty line has increased over the last two decades. Evolution is quite widespread, affecting three quarters of OECD countries. The magnitude of change is limited but significant. 
