The paid leave quiz

Voluntarily give up the fifth week of paid vacation and ask that it be paid. This is what the Minister of Labor offers to increase the duration of activity of employees. The subject must be negotiated between unions and employers at the start of the school year. But by the way, it has existed since when this fifth week of paid vacation?

“It’s my job” went to ask the question, randomly in the streets of Paris. In the majority of cases, this is what was answered:

“I absolutely have no idea!”

There are also those who wonder, like Nadine 65 years old:

“Maybe in the 90s? When I started working in 79, there was not the fifth week of paid vacation, so I’m trying to calculate. We’re going to say 95, there.”

Well no, the fifth week of paid vacation, it dates from 1982. It is established by the left, by prescription, without vote in Parliament. It is a year after the coming to power of François Mitterrand, as part of a larger program to reduce working time. That year, the French who worked 40 hours a week from the Popular Front spend 39 hours. Finally, 8 holidays are now paid, instead of May 1 alone.

It was a bit trashy, but “it’s my job” asked 3 Parisian in the spur in front of a shopping center:

“You ask us a glue”. “Wait, 1973 or 1974?”

Still missed. The fourth week of paid leave dates from 1968. The manufacturer Renault had paved the way, 6 years earlier and millions of French people already benefited, thanks to business agreements. The law passed in 68 generalized the fourth week for all French people.

We continue on our momentum … The third week of paid vacation, it is instituted in 1956, on a proposal from the government of Guy Mollet. Like the previous one, it mainly aims to standardize rights. Renault, decidedly very innovative in terms of social progress had implemented it in 1955.

1936. The Popular Front. Léon Blum. This social achievement is the fruit of a vast strike movement in factories that year. The workers notably demanded an increase in wages and better working conditions. In addition to the first paid leave, the work week has been lowered. From 48 hours, it spent 40 hours.