Posted on 03/15/2024 8:02:41 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has proposed a bill to reduce the 40-hour workweek to 32.
Sanders on Thursday introduced the Thirty Two Hour Workweek Act to establish a standard 32-hour workweek with no loss of pay.
He is supported in the Senate by Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., and in the House of Representatives by Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., who introduced the legislation.
Sanders, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on Thursday led the committee in a hearing introducing the act.
"Today in America, 28.5 million Americans -- 18% of our workforce -- now work over 60 hours a week, and 40% of employees in America now work at least 50 hours a week," Sanders said in his opening remarks. "We were talking about a 40-hour workweek 80 years ago, and that is what people today, despite the explosion of technology, are working."
The act also would require overtime pay at time-and-a-half for work days longer than eight hours and overtime pay at double a worker's regular pay if they go above 12 hours.
Workers also would have their pay and benefits protected even in a reduction in the workweek, under the proposal.
Sanders has argued that the concept of moving to a 32-hour workweek is not radical, noting that the United States overwhelmingly passed legislation to establish a 30-hour maximum work week in 1933, although the measure did not make it into the Fair Labor Standards Act.
The Fair Labor Standards Act signed into law in 1938 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the 40-hour workweek standard.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
"Unbelievably, 84 years later, despite massive growth in technology and worker productivity, millions of workers in our country are working longer hours for lower wages," Sanders said, noting 18% of the U.S. workforce works over 60 hours a week, and 40% work at least 50 hours a week.
With the rapid incorporation of artificial intelligence in many facets of the job sector, Sanders predicted many jobs people have today will not be around in 15 years.
"The question that we are asking today is a pretty simple question -- do we continue the trend that technology only benefits the people on top, or that we demand that these transformational changes also benefits working people? And one of these benefits must be a 32-hour work week," he said.
I can’t believe a commie punk who never worked a day in his life is worried about the length of a work week. He’s never worked one.
This is so stupid. Who paid for the tech that makes workers more productive? How expensive is that tech?
Sadly, these two simple questions are beyond the average American’s ability to reason.
Leftists are entirely ignorant of elementary economics.
Bernie is just wanting to give Americans more time to learn to play the ukulele and stock up on toilet paper.
Even Venezuela does not have a 32 hour work week. The senator from Venezuela should know that.
“ I can’t believe a commie punk who never worked a day in his life is worried about the length of a work week. He’s never worked one.”
Bernie is the ultimate example of a human parasite.
Sanders might mean well, but having to hold two jobs is often impossible due to transport and scheduling issues.
Nobody but the worker coughs up for the time and transit fare to get from a first job to a second job.
Overtime pay should be a matter between the employer and the worker or his/her union.
If the rent is $1500/month and the pay is $15/hour, it takes over 25 hours of work a week just to cover the housing overhead.
80% of Americans are ... that’s why we have the representatives that we do ...
In other words prospective employers are now going to be forced to hire part-time subcontractors and pay them nothing like the pie in the sky Bernie is dreaming about...
Just a few damn days ago, PINO Drooling Spoon was bitching about “shrinkflation”. Someone might want to tell this old commie queen that this is exactly what he’s proposing on the American workforce: less in return but for the same pay.
Hey Bernie,
Keep your filthy, corrupt, never-worked a day in your life- hands OFF of OUR businesses!
Ping!.................
Has zero chance of becoming law. Just the Dems pandering to the lowest common denominator.
Look, Mr. Worker, your paycheck is the same.
Look, Senator Sanders, almost everything is 25% more expensive.
Well, look on the bright side for me and other Democratic politicians, there are jobs for Uncle Joe’s “newcomers”.
It’s time to show Bernie his utopia. Every business should be open 8 hours per day and be closed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Every business!
No grocery stores, transportation, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, bakeries, salons, utilities, banks, gas stations, police stations, prison guards, secret service, personal bodyguards, parks, toll booths, weed shops. EVERYTHING!
9-5 four days a week. Think of all of the good times to be had by everyone on the 3 day weekend.
What a baffoon.
EC
We need a $500 an hour minimum wage! Then everybody has money.
#ThereFixedIt!
Any factory/production business would have to hire additional shifts. A CNC mill or other machinery doesn’t break even operating minimal hours. You drop 1/4 million on a piece of high end machinery you need it running full time.
How many of these are salaried employees, and will they work fewer hours if this incredibly stupid legislation passes? I know that when I was working on salary, or on a daily consulting rate, the length of the workweek was completely irrelevant. The work had to be accomplished.
Employees of the businesses that will have to close if this law is passed will find themselves with a workweek of zero hours.
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