A study by the Employment Ministry released this week, however, showed that 59 per cent of workers polled felt their daily lives had improved as a result of the shorter hours. Some sceptics suggest the Jospin government is storing up economic problems by means of this reform and the labour policies it introduced after municipal elections in March, such as doubling minimum redundancy pay. But Socialists maintain that treating workers with respect pays dividends. In addition, the 35-hour week has produced a boom in consumer confidence. Leroy Merlin, the country's second largest DIY retailer, reported a boom in interest in its short television spots showcasing ideal homes.
Business is also good for travel agents.
But the biggest success ascribed to Jospin's reform has been a fall in unemployment. The jobless rate hit an 18-year low of 8.7 per cent in March, a dramatic reduction from the 12.6 per cent unemployment rate Jospin inherited four years ago. Yet behind such figures are some worrying trends for Jospin. A quarter of workers reported rising stress levels as they try to cram the same tasks into shorter hours or acquire new skills to fill in for absent colleagues. Such worrier have led to strikes at tourist attractions such as the Louvre and the palace of Versailles, where staff fear the shorter hours will add to stress unless more workers are hired.