Paris: The French parliament has adopted a major economic reform that effectively ends the country's mandatory 35-hour work week, in a Senate vote.
The bill was supported by the upper house's right-wing majority of President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party but opposed by the opposition Socialists.

Senators also adopted other key reforms which change rules on strikes, tighten criteria for unemployment payments, and free up the economy with plans aimed at bringing down the cost of living by boosting competition.

The new law maintains the working week at 35 hours but gives businesses the right to negotiate directly with employees to decide their working hours.

The 35-hour week was aimed at cutting unemployment and the French statistics institute INSEE said it created 350,000 new jobs between 1998 and 2002,but at the cost of billions of euros in state aid to companies.

Public opinion polls show the French still view the 35-hour work week as a progressive measure that they do not want to part with.
Source : PTI