May 1: Senate votes to authorize the work of salaried bakers and florists

The Senate adopted a bill on Thursday, July 3, to allow certain establishments, such as bakeries and florists, to have their employees work on ^May 1, International Workers' Day, a public holiday in France. In a chamber dominated by an alliance between the right and the centrists, the bill, led by the head of the Union of Democrats and Independents (UDI), Hervé Marseille, and his colleague Annick Billon, was adopted on first reading by 228 votes to 112. The text is being sent to the National Assembly.

The initiative, supported by the government and criticized by the left and unions, aims to extend the scope of businesses benefiting from an exemption to have their employees work, if they volunteer, during Labor Day. It could thus apply, in addition to the activities already concerned (hospitals, transport, etc.), to "local food businesses" (bakeries, pastry shops, butchers, etc.), to activities responding to a "traditional use specific to May ^1st ," such as florists, or to establishments carrying out "a cultural activity" such as cinemas and theaters.

The discussion began at the end of April, when some bakers denounced the unprecedented inspections carried out in recent years by the labor inspectorate on several artisans. While they are authorized to work, they were criticized for having their employees work on this public holiday.

These business leaders point to very vague legislation, which certainly allows for exceptions, but only in establishments which "cannot interrupt work" , such as transport, security or hospitals... It is to clarify this provision that the centrist senators, supported by the government, wished to act by law.

This bill "does not call into question the existing situation" , but "fills a legal loophole, an insecurity that penalises traders, employees, regions and some of our fellow citizens" , insisted the Minister of Labour, Catherine Vautrin, who "fully" supports the initiative.

The centrist bill initially aimed to allow establishments already authorized to open on Sundays to do so on May ^1st . However, in the version voted on Thursday, it has been revised and now precisely defines the scope of businesses benefiting from a specific exemption for Labor Day.

The measure offended all left-wing groups in the Senate, who failed to pass a motion rejecting the bill. Communist Cathy Apourceau-Poly accused the Senate majority and the government of "gradually unraveling the principle of ^May 1st as a holiday in order to justify its total reappraisal tomorrow," believing that the bill would impact "1.5 million employees." "Your ultimate goal is to steal a day off from employees because you think they don't work enough," she said during the debates.

"We will have to be told why on May ^1st we cannot avoid going to a delicatessen to buy pâté, or to a bakery where the artisan has mobilised his horde of employees," declared socialist Monique Lubin.

"For 40 years, you bought bread on ^May 1st, you bought lily of the valley on May ^1st , without it causing you any problems," Annick Billon retorted, denouncing a "caricatural" attitude from the left.

While employers support this legal amendment, the unions are rejecting it entirely: in a joint union statement published on Tuesday, they called on senators to oppose the text. "To call into question the principle of this day is to call into question 100 years of history of social struggle," write the CGT, CFDT, FO, CFE-CGC, CFTC, UNSA, Solidaires and the FSU.