This conversation is closed. Start a new conversation
or join one »
24 hour/3-day work week with $30.00 minimum wage starting in 2013. Solve multiple social and individual problems with this.
http://www.inc.com/laura-entis/25-hour-work-week-an-argument-for-redistributing-working-hours.html
Current worker productivity justifies the 3-day/24-hour work week.
Fairness, increased productivity, happiness, health, family values and many more positive human and societal values will be achieved if this is implemented in 2013.














Mike Colera 10+
Individuals have more time not working, If those people have good family lives or other expressions of positive lifestyles, I would be sure that increased time could add value to that person, and the opposite is also true. And then there is the matter of a sudden shift. If this happened in 2013, What about the upset? Men who retire on Friday and by Tuesday morning, their wives are wondering why they don't leave for 8 hours.
So, I am not convinced that the economic values are plausible if for no other reasons then the tax bite and the differing effects on living costs.
As to effects on individual and social values, it may be positive for some and not so much for others.
So, what am I missing?
Donald Griffin
In 1972, when I was in grade school, I read a short news item in a newsletter that grade-schoolers used to receive in school, in which it was suggested that the government was considering reducing the standard work week by one day. I remember this item, because, at the time, I could not understand how the length of a week-end could be arbitrary. Wasn't a week-end of Saturday and Sunday some kind of universal constant of time? But back to the point, the average family in 1972 had a single wage/salary earner. Forty-one years later, and the individual worker is not making much more, if any, in inflation-adjusted dollars, but the average productivity of that worker has increased tremendously. Further, most families now require two wage/salary earners to maintain the standard of living of that single (middle-class) worker in 1972. The question is, was this outcome inevitable or could we have instead built a system in which the least paid worker today earned at least $30 and hour and the standard work week for everyone was only 24 hours a week? If the latter, how do we redress this obvious economic injustice?
Rhona Pavis 50+
Mike Colera 10+
My comments only apply to the US. Another country may have other problems.
I think that some of what you ask for is happening. The Bill Gates foundation and a thousand more foundations, charities sponsored by the wealthy to provide services for a number of noble causes.
But, you speak of minimum wage, you speak of a complex financial and business model that has ramifications I can only imagine and for those who have made it are aware of what I am to say.
Discounting the cost of shorter work weeks, and there will be some, let's just look at minimum wages. Cost of labor is in the cost of services and product and is paid by the consumer. This is as true as the law of gravity.
First we look at wages. the amount that a worker receives is not the total cost of wages to the business, there are additional costs for insurances, taxes, personnel support, etc. all of which is added to the sales price of the product. When you buy a car, the cost of labor is averaging around $25 p/h so the jump is about 20% and the labor cost of a car is ca. 60% you can see the rise in cost. But cars are a big purchase and not done that often so the cost is difficult but doable.
But, what about that big Mac burger? Labor goes up 4.3 times. We are now looking at $20 for a fast lunch; forget about that pizza and movie night. Now earning $30 p/h can cover those costs, it may be more difficult like the higher priced car. OK!
Wait a minute, 30 p/h is $60K a year., Here come income taxes, federal, state and local could add up to 20%... now that 60K is down to 48K, but the cost of that burger, car or pizza didn't go down by 20%...welcome to the new middle class!
Mike Colera 10+
I am sure there may be a business that this model would do well. I don't see it working for...WalMart,.
Rhona Pavis 50+
Mike Colera 10+
First, don't be too hard on those that are either very good in business or won a big lottery. Most of them spend their money unlike Jack Benny. In a town not to far from me is a factory that builds those little jets that the 1% like to buy, and the airport staff where they park those jets. Hundreds of people have good jobs. I have cousin that made a good living customizing the interior of those jets. Thank You.
But, you have some very good questions that I have watched evolve over many years. In the 1930s, and early forties, we had a bad economic depression and that was followed by an extensive world war. In this process, American capitalists were stripped of the hubris of the 20s and curbed with financial regulations of the 30s, for the most part they were chastised, except a few, Like GM and Goodyear Tire, who convinced L A city council to tear out a really good public transportation system and buy a $zillion worth of buses. that's another conversation. But, big companies saw that they could influence government to better their bottom line. Now I don't blame business, their jobs is to improve their bottom line. But the big push started about 1960. The Lobby groups got started, Campaign contributions ( legal bribes?) took off, Influence peddling, getting bigger and bigger until we have the current situation where we have big Company CEOs becoming Secretaries of US Departments and vis versa. Case in point, our recent Treasury Secretary was a high ranking office of a large bank that got "Saved" by bailout. The new guy to replace him has the same story. It has gotten so bad, that even companies that want to be up and up have joined in and not surprising there are foreign counties signing up. A huge defense contract was signed with a eastern European company. Don't get me started on the criminality of the "Public Education Businesses" who have lost a couple generation of Americans with bad education programs, while taking huge amounts of tax dollars.
Kris Rosvold
We are Not "broke" we are being ROBBED, with the collusion of Congress!
Krisztián Pintér 200+
Rhona Pavis 50+
Krisztián Pintér 200+
Rhona Pavis 50+
Krisztián Pintér 200+
Rhona Pavis 50+
Krisztián Pintér 200+
but wait. what if i plan to open a small restaurant. i want to save enough money, so i agree to still work 50 hours a week, for $35 per hour, to earn more. i value the money more than my free time, in which i just watch oprah, or do drugs. why can't i do that?
Rhona Pavis 50+
Krisztián Pintér 200+
Rhona Pavis 50+
Krisztián Pintér 200+
edward long 100+
Rhona Pavis 50+
edward long 100+
Rhona Pavis 50+
Fritzie Reisner 100+
The restaurant now has ten employees on a shift working at $10 per hour, or whatever the going rate now is.
Now the rule goes into effect that the rate of pay must climb to $30 per hour and hours decline to 24 for those who work more than that.
What do you see happening? Does the price of food at the restaurant go up dramatically to cover the jump in labor cost, but the employees now paid more can afford to buy the food at the higher prices? Or does the restaurant switch to buffet lines to reduce the number of wait staff to zero?
How about brick and mortar retail stores in competition with online stores? What choices would they make?
I have not worked through the scenarios, but I am interested, Rhona, in how you see these cases playing out.
Rhona Pavis 50+
Happier, healthier workers are more productive workers. One micro effect is similar to the Henry Ford model on his original assembly line: The higher pay coupled with humane hours will attract the best workers and they will be more productive due to their better health, morale and skills.
Fritzie Reisner 100+
But I don't think the auto companies are the ones that have been paying much less than $30 per hour in compensation to most of their employees. I think we would see that very much in the service sector and in retail. This is why I think understanding your proposal requires that you consider the likely response of businesses in those sectors.
Rhona Pavis 50+
Fritzie Reisner 100+
I don't think that wanting to consider who might get hurt from an option being put forward means there is reluctance to change. Only that there is merit in thinking about how things would likely land. It matters to a lot of people what happens to small business, to hiring, to prices people will need to pay for things and so forth. Considering scenarios, if we are willing to do that, helps us decide WHICH change from the status quo to implement.
Rhona Pavis 50+
Zdenek Smith 100+
Instead I think we should start adding extra statutory holidays e.g. one each year. Over the years we will eventually reach 4 days a week arrangement. From there we can slowly move to 3 days work week?
It is unfortunate that productivity of workforce in developed nations continues to grow while salaries and work hours stay the same while wealth from this new productivity going to the wealthy. More fair distribution of wealth (through e.g. fair tax system) is something to be desired which will then also allow people to need to work fewer hours.
cheers
Rhona Pavis 50+
pat gilbert 50+
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6kv_eGSGZ4
And then you can watch all of the jobs be exported to places where people will work 70 hours a week.
The fallacy is that a worker is paid for being there a certain amount of time, he is paid for what he produces.
Rhona Pavis 50+
pat gilbert 50+
What you are talking about is a fallacy. In large part the current dearth of jobs is due to this sort of situation. People from south of the border are willing to work for less so many in the trades have become irrelevant, manufacturing has gone where people are willing to work for less. Your idea would just bring more of the same. Minimum wage laws are largely responsible for places like Detroit.
Although somewhat counter intuitive the solution is less regulation which allows the true value of the production to be determined. This is defined as what someone is willing to pay.
This is why GM would be gone if not for government subsidy.
You don't get this and never will which is fine but there may be reader who can hear me.
Rhona Pavis 50+
pat gilbert 50+
The reason BP had a problem in the first place is regulation caused them drill in water that was 5000 ft deep, a technological achievement.
GM is saddled with benefits to employees that are not achievable because the workers are living longer and because of the healthcare bubble caused by government spending through medicare.
The idea is the same the free market determines the value of production.
Again you don't get this and never will but anyone reading this who has bought into the progressive meme should consider what I point to.
Kris Rosvold
Fritzie Reisner 100+
Rhona Pavis 50+
Fritzie Reisner 100+
Kris Rosvold
Rhona Pavis 50+
Rhona Pavis 50+
Rhona Pavis 50+
Kris Rosvold
Robert Haacke
Kris Rosvold
Robert Haacke
Don't blame the corporations for doing what is in their own best interest. You can't expect them to do otherwise. They don't have to do business in this country at all if they don't want to. Making them pay more than they want to pay will not change that for the better. Don't tell me any of that stuff about us being the biggest economy in the world and they can't make money anywhere else. The truth is that 80% of the world's economy is outside the US and we are making our share smaller every day by making it harder and harder to do business here. The natural tendency of anyone when forced to do something that they think is not in their best interests is to go somewhere where they are not.
You are implying that the corporation is greedy for not giving you what you want. Isn't it just as greedy to ask for something from them that they aren't willing to give? If you aren't willing to work for what they are willing to pay then they will find someone who is. And don't tell me that they are rich and you are poor. Greed is greed no matter your bank balance.
W. Ying 10+
Wonderful !
This way will:
(1) Meet the requirements of our instincts much better.
(2) Make us healthy and happy.
(3) Buy less harmful INVALID (ineffective, untrue, unreal) happiness.
(4) ....
(For details, see 1st article, points 12, 1-3, 14, at https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=D24D89AE8B1E2E0D&id=D24D89AE8B1E2E0D%21283&sc=documents)