Bakers and florists: an information note to remind labor inspectors of the “context” of May 1

At the end of the meeting with representatives of bakers and florists, after announcing the tabling of a bill to secure May 1, Sébastien Lecornu announced that “instructions” would be given so “that artisans in these two sectors do not suffer any consequences from an opening on May 1, 2026 within the rules set by the future law”.

Even belatedly, this was done. In a 2-page information note dated Tuesday April 28, revealed by RMC and which we were able to consult, the Director General of Labor (DGT) Pierre Ramain took up the pen to remind labor inspectors of the particular “context” of this May 1, 2026. Even if they are independent.

If it is the only compulsory public holiday, he reminds us that bakers “meet the essential needs of the public ensuring the continuity of social life” and florists “are part of the May 1st tradition”. Hence the government’s desire to secure the possibility for these professionals to employ employees on that day “in the face of a state of the law that can be a source of uncertainty and difficulties of interpretation”.

A risk of control incidents?

And the labor director recalled the bill presented this week to the Council of Ministers, the “social dialogue” in this matter, the scope of its future application… “Subject to the adoption of this bill by parliament and the conclusion of branch agreements, the new legal framework could apply for the sectors concerned on May 1, 2027,” he wrote again.

Before addressing the labor inspectors with an appeal for goodwill where each word is weighed with a trebuchet: “In compliance with the guarantees and the intervention framework of the labor inspection, as the minister reminded us on April 20, it seems important to us that, given their collective attachment to social dialogue and the desire that emerged from it to secure the employment of employees for artisan florists and artisan bakers-pastry makers, the control agents can be aware of these contextual elements.

The labor director concludes his missive by pointing out the risk of “possible control incidents in this context or of calling into question the control action”.