Sources: Le Monde and France public holidays. Late last May, the recently nominated French Prime Minister, François Fillion, asked his Minister in Charge of the Evaluation of Public Policies, Eric Besson, to review, the status of the Whitmonday public holiday.The suppression of Whitmonday as a public holiday was decided following the 2003 heat wave, when over 10000 elderly died, to gather funds for greater care of the dependent elderly. Its implementation, in late May 2005, led to an anti-government backlash that many have credited for the last minute surge, and victory, of the "no" vote in the referendum on the government-supported EU constitution.
Yet, Whitmonday is hardly a normal working day, in France. Currently, about 50% of the private sector is at work, but schools are closed, the post offices are closed, the SNCF (state-owned railways) operates on a Saturday schedule, the RATP (Paris subway and suburban trains) operate on an August weekday schedule, and trucks over 7,5 tons are not allowed on the roads.
In the report he submitted late last week, Mr. Besson proposes that the Whitmonday public holiday be re-instated, and that each business be allowed to choose the public holiday it wishes to work on, to contribute to the care of the elderly. Seems like this will really simplify matters ...
We will continue to monitor any developments.
Posts
