Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

21 hours: a new working week? | Anna Coote | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

I've just seen a discussion on the TV about this, whereby pretty much everyone was in agreement that it would be a good idea.

I personally disagree.

Fair play, it may well never happen, or be forced upon us.

It may be a 'nice' idea, but I don't think it's practical. Certainly not for me anyway.

Thoughts??

StickyMicky

Self employed people will become kings

stilover

As long as was on the same salary, then yeah. I'll vote for that.

Will never happen in a Million years though.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

There are plenty already on the 0 hour week

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

That's not the idea though unfortunately.

Basically a cut in hours, a cut in salary.

stilover

**** that then.

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

You'd be sorted then.

True, and this would apparently help solve that issue.

dunx

iTrader: (3)

At my age I'd gladly do a four day working week, so long as I get Fridays off.....



dunx

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Exactly my thoughts.

A good idea for those earning a fortune, not so good for those on an average wage or less (like myself).

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I'd love a siesta in the UK every weekday - especially in the summer when I could fully enjoy the good weather (when/if we get some).

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

21 hours - people actually work that long

rossyboy

iTrader: (8)

44% cut in pay for me, but only working 3 days a week.

Hmmm - sell house cause cant afford the mortgage, likewise sell the cars and holiday in some dodgy spanish resort once a year.

On the upside, 2 extra days a week off work. Only I cant do anything when I'm off as I'm too skint

Think I'll pass!

PaulC72

it's madness really how could that work, as companies would require twice as many people to do the same jobs thus pushing prices of everything up becuase 2x salaries at 21 hrs isn't the same as 1x salary at 42 hrs becuase of the tax etc?

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

Exactly.

The programme was simply looking at it being a nice idea.

It touched on reducing rent to make life more affordable.

What about those who already own their home? Sell up/have it reposessed?

As you would have more time it suggested you could grow your own veg etc. and that with more time you could use public transport rather than need to use a car.

I personally think it's a stupid, ill thought out idea. Regardless of whether it would ever happen.

STi wanna Subaru

iTrader: (1)

I dont think it's feasible but i do like the sentiment behind it. Most of us miss out on the best parts of our lives slogging away at a job. Often the job and time required by it effects our health, relationships and to some degree warps our values of what is important.

Personally I think the working culture we have is outdated. For example I could most of the time work flexitime as well as working from home due to the options of data connection and communication now but I'm still required in the office 5 days a week from 8.30 to 5.

kingofturds

iTrader: (1)

And what would happen to the public sector? sure they would jump at the chance at working less hours, but they would kick up **** at taking a pay cut. The only reason I save is because I am too busy working to be able to spend it.
It's a nice socialist idea but it will never work, especially with the industrious 1.2 billion Chinese prepared to work 80 hours a week

Leslie

We have had that enforced on us before. It was a very expensive exercise and the economy would never stand it, thats if it gets through the present situation.

A country's wealth broadly depends on the amount of work which is done by the people.

Les.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Very true; The UK has no heavy production industry - most of it is over there now. Our fault for not restricting the imports. But hey-ho, feed the consumer demand and corperate quest for profit with minimal overheads etc... Hence further restrictions on UK/EU based workforces would kill whats left off completely.

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

Worst idea ever. Shall we just all stop consuming at 12pm everyday? We will have to as there will be nobody at work to serve us!

It is an idea by lazy people for lazy people.

dunx

iTrader: (3)

But if we are all poor we can't afford to go consuming anyway, I think it will work

Thus the U.K. now shuts between 12 and 8 PM due to lack of demand.....

Sorted.

dunx

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

It's such a depressingly, obviously unworkable idea that I'm disappointed it even made it into print

Figuring out why it couldn't work is so easy it's untrue. Start by looking at public services...

Some things need to exist regardless of how many hours we work. We still need schools to be open. Our armed forces still need the same amount of food, and bullets, and helicopters. We still need the same hospitals. The elderly and sick still need to be kept warm. In short, the tax burden doesn't significantly decrease.

What does decrease is your salary. Suppose for the sake of argument that you earn £3000 gross per month, and pay £1000 of that in tax... now suppose you only earn £1600 and pay the same tax - your take-home drops from £2000 to just £600.

Then look at what expenditure doesn't change... your mortgage, utility bills, food, clothing, insurance - none of which depend on how many hours you work. So they don't get any cheaper either.

Sure, I'd like to work 3 days a week. But I'm b*ggered if I'm giving up every last penny of my retirement savings and beer money - not to mention my country's competitiveness - to do it...

superstar1

Don't read the Guardian,








































Thank f@ck

taylormade89

hmmm look at it from this point of veiw i work 60 hours aweek give or take and at the min 21 of that hours are over time,
now my company need people to do over time to get the jobs done on time

so if they cut the working week back to 21 then 39 of my hours would be over time in theory so i would make a hell of alot more and if the company cut my hours back they would never get jobs done on time

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

You wouldn't get overtime, and to get jobs done they would be basically made to take on more staff working 21 hours or less. In the process cutting down/eliminating unemployment, saving paying out benefits blah blah.

Issues such as this and many others in this thread are why the idea is stupid and wouldn't work.

By the way to Superstar, I don't read the Guardian, just saw something on TV about this and found a link about it to see what other people thought.