Editing Culture of France (section)

===Labour and employment policy===
In France, the first labour laws were [[Waldeck Rousseau's laws passed in 1884]]. Between 1936 and 1938 the [[Popular Front (France)|Popular Front]] enacted a law mandating 12 days (2 weeks) each year of paid [[Annual leave|vacation]] for workers, and a [[Matignon Accords (1936)|law]] limiting the work week to 40 hours, excluding overtime. The [[:fr:Accords de Grenelle|Grenelle accords]] negotiated on 25 and 26 May in the middle of the May 1968 crisis, reduced the working week to 44 hours and created trade union sections in each enterprise.<ref>''[[:fr:section syndicale d'entreprise|fr:section syndicale d'entreprise]]'' 27 December 1968 law</ref> The minimum wage was also increased by 25%.<ref>[[:fr:Salaire minimum interprofessionnel garanti|fr:SMIG]]</ref> In 2000 [[Lionel Jospin]]'s government then enacted the [[35-hour workweek]], down from 39 hours. Five years later, conservative prime minister [[Dominique de Villepin]] enacted the [[New Employment Contract]] (CNE). Addressing the demands of employers asking for more flexibility in French labour laws, the CNE sparked criticism from trade unions and opponents claiming it was lending favour to [[contingent work]]. In 2006 he then attempted to pass the [[First Employment Contract]] (CPE) through a vote by emergency procedure, but that it was met by [[2006 labor protests in France|students and unions' protests]]. President [[Jacques Chirac]] finally had no choice but to repeal it.