You did well on last week's 'Pail Poll on populist feeling. Most of you aren't ashamed of your populism, as your answers to the question "Are you proud to be an economic populist?" break down as follows:
Yes. I flaunt it every chance I get: 5
Usually. I flaunt it everywhere except around known elitists: 0
Usually not. I flaunt it only in approved company: 2
No. I hide my populism in shame: 2
This week's 'Pail Poll asks whether you'd support the United States changing to a 35-hour work week (from 40 hours).
A lot of you are familiar with how overtime rules work and have expressed interest in shortening the work week. Well, pretty much the entire world has already shortened their work week from 40. The biggest exceptions are countries with sweatshop economies, and I don't think we want to take cues from their regimes.
In France, the legally established work week was 35 hours before Sarkozy weakened the law. In Samoa, the average work week is 30.
So why is the United States working workers longer and harder? With the long commute times, there's no time left for family and rest.
We really do need to take a serious look at a shortened work week.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
35-hour work week: an idea whose time has come? ('Pail Poll)
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Why? Most workers are paid hourly. Fewer hours equals smaller paycheck.
ReplyDeleteNot if they work 40. Then they make more for the extra 5 hours.
ReplyDelete$20/hr x 40 = $800 a week
ReplyDelete$20/hr x 35 = $700 a week
The solution for this is simple.
ReplyDeleteCan you guess what it is?
Most jobs I have held have had mandatory overtime. How would this effect forced overtime? My last job forced us to work 60 to 72 hours per week. I had no life.
ReplyDelete40 hours is plenty, I am frugal enough to work only 35 hours. That's why I went to college but I still end up working my life away. I am owned by my employer because I need the medical benefits and if they force me to work massive overtime, I can't do anything about it. And most jobs are the same way in my field so I can't just quit and get another job.
I say bring it down to 35 hours and then allow workers to work extra "at will" for extra cash.
Employers own workers these days, we shouldn't be treated like slaves. We need a national labor union like France.