Posted on 10/22/2005 8:07:54 AM PDT by Reeses
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A survey by the Families and Work Institute in New York found that 1 in 3 Americans feels chronically overworked, and a study by the American Sleep Institute found that 50 percent of Americans would be willing to work fewer hours for less pay.
As companies across the nation feverishly downsize and restructure to improve their bottom lines, overtime hours have crept up and now average four to five hours a week, 25 percent more than a decade ago, says Lonnie Golden, an overtime expert at Pennsylvania State University.
A lot of that is forced overtime, and 50- or 60-hour workweeks are not uncommon. Vacations are also shrinking, the victim of all-in-one leave banks that force workers to choose between sick leave and time off to de-stress. A recent AFL-CIO poll found that a quarter of all workers get no vacation at all.
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A loose coalition of organizations -- including some in the Bay Area -- is pushing for changes in public policy to shield U.S. workers from the relentless push to put in more hours on the job.
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This year, to mark the 65th anniversary of the 40-hour work week taking effect, the organizers of the 3-year-old event are rolling out an ambitious legislative agenda.
The campaign, dubbed "Time to Care," calls for:
-- At least a week of paid sick leave.
-- At least three weeks of paid vacation.
-- A limit on compulsory overtime, so workers can accept or refuse overtime work.
-- Paid childbirth leave for all parents.
-- Incentives to make it easier for Americans to work part time if they choose, including hourly wage parity, protection of promotions and prorated benefits for part-timers.
-- Making Election Day a holiday to make it easier for people to vote.
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(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I agree completely. Two weeks off ruins personal (read family) time. Only in modern industrial society has the family been so divided. Throughout history there has always been much more time for people to spend with thier families. The excessive time people spend at work has led to many of the ills of modern society. OVERWORK IS NOT A VIRTUE.
Cut out all welfare. Put the receivers of the DOLE on alert that they will cease to receive benefits in 30 days. Stop stealing from taxpayers to support the deadwood of society.
Let families keep what they have earned.
Salaried people work overtime in because it compensates for pressures to offshore their jobs, and helps keep the work in this country.
One would think, since this article's purpose is to inform, that the author would at least name the organizations.
You could blame women working full time to keep up with the Jones instead of raising their children for that.
Overwork is a viture if you're working to get ahead. But many people overwork for other reasons, such as they create too much busywork and can't get their assigned jobs done in 40 hours. Some people prefer work over homelife and choose to stay away. Some people just love their work.
If you don't want to work overtime then don't, but don't worry about other people and their reasons, and don't be envious if the Jones' can afford a new car.
Their "agenda" is a lot of BS. Just wait until they find out what it costs the employer! Just about that time, they will find out that their job has been outsourced overseas.
No. That was the 19th Century. Isais pre-industrial. If the employer doensnt want to pay for the time off so be it. But a person should be given the option without the penalty of losing thier job.
No. That was the 19th Century. I said pre-industrial. If the employer doensnt want to pay for the time off so be it. But a person should be given the option without the penalty of losing thier job.
Sorry about truncating that. There's a 300 word limit on excerpts. The organization behind this is Take Back Your Time at www.timeday.org which is a project of Cresp, Center for Religion, Ethics, and Social Policy, www.cresp.cornell.edu, a socialist group.
Depends upon the "work." Some "work" is play for some people...and "man" NEEDS work of some kind. Just having time with nothing to do (excessive) is when people get into trouble.
"without losing their job." Oh, yeah....right. The MARKET defines hours also, i.e. retail or service......people need to pick jobs that have the HOURS they want, or stop complaining.
Why stop at three weeks vacation ? Why not ten ? or fifty ?
why doesn't the government pass a law that nobody has to work ?
It's because the government does not provide the time off, it is the fruit of your labor.
No labor, no fruit.
If you want unlimited vacations and benefits, start your own business.
Waaaaaaaaah!
What if my hard work is supporting .8 retirees through social security, 1.7 welfare leeches, and .4 of my parents' income for the time being? You would think the leftists would be thrilled that I am supporting so many people. ('cept my parents. That is a labor of love.....)
The excessive time people spend at work has led to many of the ills of modern society. OVERWORK IS NOT A VIRTUE.
Overwork is a bad thing but I've rarely seen it. Many employees really take it pretty easy. Working hard is not a bad thing, nor is asking employees who generate their own busy work or who work the system to actually complete their assignments.
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