30 Hour Work Week

[Inverted Things]

The conditions which brought about the 40-hour work week are obsolete. When it was first instituted, the US ran off a manufacturing economy. We now have a service economy.

Some professions might work better is they switched to a 30-hour week. I've been a cook for several restaurants, and I can tell you that I got my fair share of burns and cuts. These generally happened toward the end of my shift and none required medical attention. On the other hand, if we looked at a more dangerous job (construction, for instance), we might find that 2% of construction employees per year require medical attention for injuries sustained on the job. We might further find that 90% of these injuries happened toward the end of the shift. It might make sense, in this situation, to cut the workday back to 7 hours.

All that said, the government doesn't really need to be involved in this process. The hypothetical construction company would rather cut back to a 7 hour workday as opposed to paying the workman's compensation fees.

Switching back to service-type jobs, my father owns his own business and loves his work. He generally works the typical 8 hours on each weekday, and about 5 hours each weekend. He occasionally brings work home and rarely takes holidays. He told me once that his business would not be successful if he didn't work weekends.

If we limit a college educated person's options to working 40-hours a week for some company or starting a business, here's how things shake out:

Pros of working for a company:
Less time spent at work
Guaranteed income
Work level remains fairly constant

Pros of having your own business:
The work is likely more satisfying
No boss to report to
More flexiblity--don't need to get permission to pick up kids from school, e.g

I can't help but feel that service level employees get a great deal from the government and employers.

[Inverted Things]

All that said, the government doesn't really need to be involved in this process. The hypothetical construction company would rather cut back to a 7 hour workday as opposed to paying the workman's compensation fees.

The State needn't get involved?!  Sheep Pushy, there would be no such things as 'workmen's compensation' if the State did not require it.  Such things were wrested from the owners through deadly political fights, and here you are taking it for granted.   Believe me, no employer wants to give you something if you are injured.

Clearly what I meant by my comment was that we don't need the government further involved in the situation.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Are you kidding?  They make like $10/hour or less!  They're at subsistence level.
[/quote]
[/quote]

I meant to say college-educated service employees. The types of people who work 40 hours per week while sitting at a desk. Obviously restaurant employees and retail clerks aren't paid much--a trained monkey could do those jobs.

[Inverted Things]

I meant to say college-educated service employees. The types of people who work 40 hours per week while sitting at a desk. Obviously restaurant employees and retail clerks aren't paid much--a trained monkey could do those jobs.

No, fool, they are persons and citizens, not monkeys.  And keep in mind that your interests lie with them, worker, and not with the aristocracy.

It really is laughable what hubris a shoddy thing like a college degree gives to you desperate, deluded social climbers.  Face it, you are a serf, and you will always be a serf, Sheep.

You really ought to consider the possibility that I know more about these sorts of things than you do. When was the last time you had a service job? My last two jobs were auditing mortgage documents and serving coffee.

Regarding "hubris..." I've always been an arrogant little er; it has nothing to do with a college degree. Furthermore, I graduated from college in May 2004, and spent a year looking for work befitting my qualifications. I didn't find such a job, and therefore went to graduate school instead.

And the serf thing... maybe I am a serf, but I'm rather happy with my situation right now. I have a fantastic job waiting for me in September which will pay me about $30,000 next year while only requiring me to work less than 20 hours per week.