Union française Pneus Faits Quelqu'un ?

delldude

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Oct 29, 2002
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This is great.....

(Reuters) - The CEO of a U.S. tire maker has delivered a crushing summary of how some outsiders view France's work ethic in a letter saying he would have to be stupid to take over a factory whose staff only put in three hours work a day.

The French workforce gets paid high wages but works only three hours. They get one hour for breaks and lunch, talk for three and work for three," Taylor wrote on February 8 in the letter in English to the minister, Arnaud Montebourg.

"I told this to the French union workers to their faces. They told me that's the French way!" Taylor added in the letter, which was posted by business daily Les Echos on its website and which the ministry confirmed was genuine.

"Titan is going to buy a Chinese tire company or an Indian one, pay less than one Euro per hour wage and ship all the tires France needs," he said. "You can keep the so-called workers."

"Sir, your letter states that you want Titan to start a discussion. How stupid do you think we are?" he wrote. "Titan is the one with the money and the talent to produce tires. What does the crazy union have? It has the French government."
 
I used to work as a field engineer. French mgt would love to be able to hire americans come to france to build factories. I have heard french mgrs say a dozen times, nobody beats the american work ethic.
 
I used to work as a field engineer. French mgt would love to be able to hire americans come to france to build factories. I have heard french mgrs say a dozen times, nobody beats the american work ethic.

Now if only if someone would tell that to American mangement.
 
I like the French way of working.
People can actually have a life.
Best time I had was 6 weeks of training in Toulouse.
3 hours in the morning, 2 hours for a 5 star lunch, 2 hours in the afternoon.
Thursdays were aperitif for lunch, Fridays finished at noon.
Mixed with their numerous holidays, I rented a car and went to Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Bordeaux and several places I forget.

Merikan people should look to mimic the French work ethic instead of being proud to work 40 hours a week, no lunch, 2 weeks vacation, 4 holidays a year.

Just my 2 cents... :p
 
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I like the French way of working.
People can actually have a life.
Best time I had was 6 weeks of training in Toulouse.
3 hours in the morning, 2 hours for a 5 star lunch, 2 hours in the afternoon.
Thursdays were aperitif for lunch, Fridays finished at noon.
Mixed with their numerous holidays, I rented a car and went to Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Bordeaux and several places I forget.

Merikan people should look to mimic the French work ethic instead of being proud to work 40 hours a week, no lunch, 2 weeks vacation, 4 holidays a year.

Just my 2 cents... :p

We should be so lucky!
 
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I like the French way of working.
People can actually have a life.
Best time I had was 6 weeks of training in Toulouse.
3 hours in the morning, 2 hours for a 5 star lunch, 2 hours in the afternoon.
Thursdays were aperitif for lunch, Fridays finished at noon.
Mixed with their numerous holidays, I rented a car and went to Nice, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Bordeaux and several places I forget.

Merikan people should look to mimic the French work ethic instead of being proud to work 40 hours a week, no lunch, 2 weeks vacation, 4 holidays a year.

Just my 2 cents... :p
YOu mean people get to take vacations here?

IT's not just the French....head to Disney World pretty much any time during the year and notice the number of Brits "on holiday".

I wonder how much of the American work ethic is based on fear? Here in KC, the largest private employer is Sprint. I used to work for them. I got out just as times started getting tougher - the people who stayed woke up each day wondering if they still had a job. The capper for me was driving past their headquarters campus on Christmas day...only to see cars in the parking lot. Since HQ jobs were mostly exempt, they implemented a "mandatory 50" hour workweek. But only "slackers" worked "only" 50 hours...if you didn't want to be in the next round of layoffs, you'd work between 60 and 80. I know more Sprint employees that got divorced, in large part because of the stresses of their jobs.
 
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I'd venture most of it...

Fear is healthy. There is nothing more frustrating to me than to deal with under performers. Or having to overstaff to deal with low performance.

Now working in a poorly run/ performing company that has low morale (any airline in recent history) is a different animal. Maybe.
 
Fear is healthy. There is nothing more frustrating to me than to deal with under performers. Or having to overstaff to deal with low performance.

Now working in a poorly run/ performing company that has low morale (any airline in recent history) is a different animal. Maybe.

Hmm...there is a fine line between "high performing" and Overworked. The "lucky" people who got to keep their jobs at Sprint do not have great morale. "Lucky to have a job" isn't great morale.
 
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Fear is healthy. There is nothing more frustrating to me than to deal with under performers. Or having to overstaff to deal with low performance.

True, but there is a difference between "lazy" and working oneself into an early grave. Worse, are the bosses who capitalize on the fear amongst their workforce.

You can be both productive and high performing while recognizing the benefits of a healthy work/life balance.

Hmm...there is a fine line between "high performing" and Overworked. The "lucky" people who got to keep their jobs at Sprint do not have great morale. "Lucky to have a job" isn't great morale.

+1
 
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True, but there is a difference between "lazy" and working oneself into an early grave. Worse, are the bosses who capitalize on the fear amongst their workforce.
+1

Yes, but only you can allow someone else work you to death. If you honestly feel you are being abused, are in a hostile environment, and the workplace is adversely affecting your health, you owe it to yourself and you family to look for a better job where you are appreciated.
 
Wouldn't disagree with any of that... The problem is that people have been messaged to death that they're "just lucky to have a job." That fear based mindset keeps them in the spot(s) they're in.
 
True. I remember JD andJD who was vp of line mtc at delta reminding us numerous times that we could go to work for Eastern anytime we complained during their road shows. I felt trapped but eventually learned I can make it outside of delta. Probably lost earning potential but i cant have my cake and it it too.