Federal proposal for 32-hour workweek gets traction in Congress

[Saint Frankenstein]

Instead of addressing different posts at different times...

Did any of you grow up on a farm. If you weren't in school, or working an after school job, you were working on the farm with the animals, hayfield, cutting wood, working on equipment, etc.
Your time off was pretty much while you were asleep. And yes I did.

No. I've always lived in cities. I don't want to work on a farm. I honestly shouldn't be doing manual labor at all as my body is broken down from several serious injuries (my left arm is ruined from shoulder to wrist). The work I do now is messing my body up further and I've had several days lately where I am in severe pain. I was in tears at one point and a manager and a lead caught me crying. The manager told me to go home but I stayed because I need the money. But now I've missed about a week of work due to a concussion. So, whatever.

I wanted to be a writer.

 

[Debater Slayer]

No. I've always lived in cities. I don't want to work on a farm. I honestly shouldn't be doing manual labor at all as my body is broken down from several serious injuries (my left arm is ruined from shoulder to wrist). The work I do now is messing my body up further and I've had several days lately where I am in severe pain. I was in tears at one point and a manager and a lead caught me crying. The manager told me to go home but I stayed because I need the money. But now I've missed about a week of work due to a concussion. So, whatever.

I wanted to be a writer.

I'm sorry to read that. I live with chronic pain, and I can't even imagine what it would be like to need to do physical labor while injured.

Does your state have any laws to protect workers' rights or provide them with social security if they can't work? It's beyond messed up that someone would either need to work despite untreated serious injuries or be left without any income.

 

[Koldo]

I might like recreation but I do not need recreation.

It is only getting worse at this point...

I can certainly accomplish things outside of my paid work and I would rather accomplish things than sit around enjoying myself. Recreation is okay but service to others has more meaning and it is more rewarding.

Recreation is service to yourself.

 

[Heyo]

Increasing the cost of business leading to increasing prices.
How could that possibly go wrong.

Exactly. We should lower the cost of business by reintroducing slavery which would lower prices. Everybody would be happy.

 

[PureX]

We can't even raise minimum wage in the U.S., so there's no way we're going to a 32 work week.

 

[Revoltingest]

Exactly. We should lower the cost of business by reintroducing slavery which would lower prices. Everybody would be happy.

Interesting idea.

 

[Heyo]

Interesting idea.

When you think it through to the end, you arrive at Star Trek economics. Since nobody gets paid, nobody has money but since the cost of production are now nil, everything is free. A Utopia.

 

[Revoltingest]

When you think it through to the end, you arrive at Star Trek economics. Since nobody gets paid, nobody has money but since the cost of production are now nil, everything is free. A Utopia.

We're so far from having self replicating
replicators that I'm sticking with capitalism.

 

[Heyo]

We're so far from having self replicating
replicators that I'm sticking with capitalism.

Yeah, with capitalism, you need capital, i.e. money. And you only can get money from other people who have money (except when you're a banker, then you can conjure up money from thin air).
That means, someone has to pay those people for the work they do. And when they get more money, they can spend more money - and you can sell your products at higher prices.
Ergo, giving people more money is better for a capitalistic economy. You should welcome the 32 hour week and demand a 20 hour week.

 

[Revoltingest]

Yeah, with capitalism, you need capital, i.e. money. And you only can get money from other people who have money (except when you're a banker, then you can conjure up money from thin air).
That means, someone has to pay those people for the work they do. And when they get more money, they can spend more money - and you can sell your products at higher prices.
Ergo, giving people more money is better for a capitalistic economy. You should welcome the 32 hour week and demand a 20 hour week.

Short hour work weeks are inefficient though.
I don't such feel-good micro-regulation.

 

[Heyo]

Short hour work weeks are inefficient though.

[citation needed]

I don't <verb missing> such feel-good micro-regulation.

?

 

[Revoltingest]

[citation needed]

?

Just my opinion.
Same as before, I base it upon....
- Increased administrative overhead with an increased number of employees.
- Increased facility size if the extra employees occupy the same time & space.
- Increased cost when hours become overtime pay.

Also, in a time of too few workers chasing too many job openings,
shortening the work week threatens economic contraction.

 

[Heyo]

Just my opinion.
Same as before, I base it upon....
- Increased administrative overhead with an increased number of employees.
- Increased facility size if the extra employees occupy the same time & space.
- Increased cost when hours become overtime pay.

Also, in a time of too few workers chasing too many job openings,
shortening the work week threatens economic contraction.

Now I get it. You see it from the limited and selfish viewpoint of the capitalist who doesn't care where the money comes from.
The politician who proposed the bill see it from a national economic point of view. That's how the conflict arises.

 

[Revoltingest]

Now I get it. You see it from the limited and selfish viewpoint of the capitalist who doesn't care where the money comes from.
The politician who proposed the bill see it from a national economic point of view. That's how the conflict arises.

I am selfish.
But this isn't about my personal gain.
(I already have more than I need.)
I look at public policy from the perspective of what is
best for the populace. Capitalism beats the alternatives.
And some regulations are good. Others are bad.
The 32 hour workweek sits in the <bad> column (IMO).

 

[Heyo]

And some regulations are good. Others are bad.
The 32 hour workweek sits in the <bad> column (IMO).

Some regulations transfer wealth from the 99% to the 1%. Others do the opposite.
The 32 hour work week sits in the 1% -> 99% column.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Interesting info from Ohio State U...

Benefits of a Shorter Work Week | Ohio University

Sweden has a six hour workday!

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I'm sorry to read that. I live with chronic pain, and I can't even imagine what it would be like to need to do physical labor while injured.

Does your state have any laws to protect workers' rights or provide them with social security if they can't work? It's beyond messed up that someone would either need to work despite untreated serious injuries or be left without any income.

There's disability but it's hard to get on (I've tried it before, for mental health issues, and they rejected my claim). It takes months to get a decision. That's the only thing similar to what you mention that I know of.

 

[Trailblazer]

It is only getting worse at this point.

Recreation is service to yourself.

I know, and that is the antithesis to service to God.

 

[Koldo]

I know, and that is the antithesis to service to God.

God doesn't need any service. We do.

 

[Trailblazer]

God doesn't need any service. We do.

That is true, God has no needs. The way we serve God is to serve other people.