Banking and finance in France and Germany. New regulations of work and working time - a challenge for the trade unions?

Abstract

In response to the globalisation of financial markets and restructuring of national finance systems, the banks in both countries are pursuing far-reaching strategies for reorganisation in accordance with the ‘lean banking’ model. The organisation of working time, initially neglected, has now moved centre-stage in this process of reorganisation, and flexible working practices have become the order of the day. In spite of these common strategic starting points, however, the models of flexibility adopted in these two countries differ fundamentally from one another. The difference is to some extent attributable to the different institutional arrangements, and above all the training system, which in Germany caters for a broad general training but in France is unilaterally geared to the development of sales skills. The article discusses the implications of these different trends for trade unions in the two countries.