Dear striking teachers in Wisconsin...

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

You can thank union scum for your forty hour work week and other things we take for granted in our workplaces.

I wish for once you could post something without name calling being involved. I lose interest very fast when people do that, or feel the need to swear, or shout to make a point.

YEAH I AGREE!




.

millions of American families are working two jobs or over 60 hours a week to pay bills

If they was working those 60 hours in one job instead of two wouldn't they be getting a hell of a lot more money.

I haven't worked 40 hours or less per week since ... well, since ... I have no idea.

I havn't either, but anthing over the 37 or 38.5 or 39 or 40 or whichever it is in that country at the time has been at the time has always been paid as overtime unless its on price.

[Growler]

Originally Posted by Tribesman

If they was working those 60 hours in one job instead of two wouldn't they be getting a hell of a lot more money.


I havn't either, but anthing over the 37 or 38.5 or 39 or 40 or whichever it is in that country at the time has been at the time has always been paid as overtime unless its on price.

Many folks working multiple jobs are working across different employers, where rather than a 40 hour and 20 hour, they're on two 30 hour gigs. In many US states, an employee must regularly work 32+ hours across several weeks to be eligible for benefits as a full time employee; that 30 hours a week doesn't come close to the Federal Government mandated 40 hour then overtime rates criteria. So, unless they work over 40 hours, they get hourly pay at base rate.

"On price" I'm guessing means the same as "salaried" or "contracted" here in the States - in which case, you are still only required to meet the minimum 40 hour work week - but many employers take advantage of the contract status and mandate 50 or 60 hour work weeks at base salary - which is illegal, but rarely enforced.

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Growler

"On price" I'm guessing means the same as "salaried" or "contracted" here in the States - in which case, you are still only required to meet the minimum 40 hour work week - but many employers take advantage of the contract status and mandate 50 or 60 hour work weeks at base salary - which is illegal, but rarely enforced.

Which supports a need for unions to keep employers from running sweat shops. What we have now is a reflection of our political polarity where the need for compromises must be forced upon us.

I've never been a union employee, and work for the only non-unionized department in my workplace, but I appreciate what unions have done to keep employers from abusing their employees.

In a perfect world there would be no need for unions and no need for absurdly inflated executive salaries. Not socialism, but fair and sensibly run capitalism.

[Armistead]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

Which supports a need for unions to keep employers from running sweat shops. What we have now is a reflection of our political polarity where the need for compromises must be forced upon us.

I've never been a union employee, and work for the only non-unionized department in my workplace, but I appreciate what unions have done to keep employers from abusing their employees.

In a perfect world there would be no need for unions and no need for absurdly inflated executive salaries. Not socialism, but fair and sensibly run capitalism.

The problem is unions want more, they have overstepped and that seems to be the agenda the last 20 years.

My brother worked for a truck outfit non union, but had great pay and benefits. The employees pushed union, it was about a 50/50 split. The man made it clear if they went union, he would sell out or close up and a rather large SE firm. It got a lil ugly, but the union won by a few votes. The man shut it down, all lost their great jobs. Those that didn't want it got screwed. After several months Fed-Ex purchased the company, they're union. My brother applied there and luckily got a job, but guess what, pay was less.

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Armistead

The problem is unions want more, they have overstepped and that seems to be the agenda the last 20 years.

And so have employers and that is the extremism I refer to. How many companies hire only part timers now for small pay and no benefits while CEO's make millions upon millions, then offshore to avoid taxes?

[August]

Originally Posted by Buddahaid

And so have employers and that is the extremism I refer to. How many companies hire only part timers now for small pay and no benefits while CEO's make millions upon millions, then offshore to avoid taxes?

The salary of CEO's is approved by the company stockholders. If you have a beef with executive pay rates then take it up with them. Neither you or anyone else has a right to tell people what to pay their employees.

[Penguin]

What I always find odd, is that most seem to think that working for many hours a week somehow proofs that they are diligent and hard-working. It just proofs that they spend many hours at work.
It's all about effectiveness. Some people need 6 hours for a task, some 8, some longer.
Personally, I prefer to work 6 hours with full speed and concentration, with no breaks over sitting on the ass for 12 hours and not doing much. Sadly, also those exhausting 12 hour days without break often happen , but after some days you are burned out when you work in a fast-paced environment.

[yubba]

This is what happens when you run out of other peoples money, I worry about my folks who are retired New York State workers, they don't have a clue what's about to happen.

[XabbaRus]

Originally Posted by Penguin

What I always find odd, is that most seem to think that working for many hours a week somehow proofs that they are diligent and hard-working. It just proofs that they spend many hours at work.
It's all about effectiveness. Some people need 6 hours for a task, some 8, some longer.
Personally, I prefer to work 6 hours with full speed and concentration, with no breaks over sitting on the ass for 12 hours and not doing much. Sadly, also those exhausting 12 hour days without break often happen , but after some days you are burned out when you work in a fast-paced environment.

I agree with this. My old boss a few times used to question why I only seemed to do my contracted 37.5 hours a week and if I had enough work to do. I answered that I just prioritise well and that if I have spare capacity I would look for stuff to do. He had this idea that unless you were putting 45+ hours on your time sheer you weren't "going the extra mile". Anyway I believe that if you work beyond your mandated hours you should get paid for it.

[razark]

Originally Posted by Growler

but many employers take advantage of the contract status and mandate 50 or 60 hour work weeks at base salary - which is illegal, but rarely enforced.

If only there were some way for a group of these employees to band together and make their voices heard...