Manpower
At the library in particular, or even at FNAC (sort of like Nobody Beats the Wiz or Circuit City, except with a huge and very busy book section--the French read, I guess), there's a heck of a lot of manpower on display. At the Pompidou, there's a librarian station with two librarians every 50 feet. There are security-type guys staring into space at every traffic flow point. There are cleaners and card checkers and book filers. At the stores, especially the big ones, there are dozens of people standing around, literally.
At BHV, the megamart across from Hotel de Ville, there's something like 1 saleperson for every 10 shoppers. The place is crowded like the perfume counters at Macy's Herald Square, if you know what I mean.
Yet on the streets, there are people all day. Doing stuff. Not exactly standing on the street corner, staring glumly, Harlem-style. But just doing stuff that's un-touristy. I'm guessing they're on the streets, on the dole, and out of luck.
Indeed one of the big arguments for the mad 35-hour workweek 2 years ago was not quality of life, but the idea that this would encourage employers to take on more workers. Reducing unemployment by limiting the maximum work hours!! What an idea. No wonder 10% of France is unemployed (presumably this is 10% of the work-eligible population, meaning that another 10% or so is too old, on pension, too young, too sick, too pregnant, etc.).
Posted by amol at June 19, 2002 12:28 PM