NationStates Jolt Archive

We, as a Democratic organization, should appreciate the value of liberty and free choice. That is why my nation stands before you to ask all UN members to vote for the defeat of the 40 hour work week resolution. This resolution forces not only employers, but to some extent, employees to work 40 hrs, and restricts employer's control over how much they are able to pay. In the long run, this resolution will only serve to drain resources and hurt workers (as the increase in overtime pay will cause layoffs when funds and profit begin to dwindle). Please, carefully consider the consequences of this resolution, and stand strong to defeat it.

Debate is often most beneficial when it all happens in one place. For example, if I'm in Shanghia, China and I call you a big stupid poopie, and you're in Asheville, North Carolina and you reply "I know you are, but what am I?" we're not going to be getting anywhere fast.

In short, voice your opposition in the thread devoted to discussing this resolution. Nine threads about one thing only clogs up the forum.

Sincerely yours,
Daniel M. Hillaker
Minister of Foreign Affairs

"The 40 Hour Workweek" = "Civil Rights Violation"

I believe employers have the right to set upto 10hr/weekday; thats 50 hrs total. And employees should have the right to do whatever they want to do in their free time even if it is work.

If this resolution passes; I quit the UN

This proposal is mundane. I didn't join the UN to have little green men tell me my people can work for only 40 hours a week. That's nothing. Welcome to life, where people actually have to WORK for a living. I'm not going to pay millions of welfare from the tax money I get from workers. People need to learn that work is part of human nature, the way we now survive. Without it we would just stand around, get welfare, get fat, consume without replacing, etc. Liberals need to quit buying pot with welfare and LIVE. Therefore Dictator LG presents the following counterplan(at the cost of nations rights):

1)We allow nations to set their own average work weeks.

2)We allow workers limited vacation time, set by the nation.

3)We limit welfare to a percentage set by the nation.

4)We make the liberals take a Cannibusaholic Anonymus course so they can use their currently exorbitant welfare checks to buy necesary things for their family, like food, for instance.

5)We allow nations to set a minimum working age.

6)We allow nations to have the right to pick their own labor laws, and set their own limits (see aforementioned resolution).
Then we can all be happy. The liberals can allow the citizens to work for an hour a week and live off welfare, the conservatives beat their sweatshop worker children with whips, the communists distribute everything, and the moderates not give a crap.

"Welcome to the real world, huh baby?"--Cypher
"Anarchy isn't bad as long as we're in control of it."--Magdhans

Dictator LG

Well, under the same type of logic, every UN resolution could be sent down the drain.

Which would defeat the purpose of the UN.

Even authoritarian capitalist nations like the US have a 40 hour work day. You make it seem like a struggle to get it down to 50 hours a week.

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"It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" Matthew 19:24
Free your mind! (http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/bright/berkman/comanarchism/whatis_toc.html)
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By limiting the amount of time a citizen can work, are we not in turn also limiting the amount of money they can bring home to their family, the amount of progress that can be made and most importantly, the amount of freedom each citizen possesses? This resolution is prepostrous to the utmost! If it should pass we may as well assign jobs to civilians rather than let them exercise their free will, and continue down this path of strict control and civil slavery.

Also, it must be pointed out that not every inductry can function successfully on a set forty hour work week. Should this stiff and unfair resolution be enforced upon all, surely such large industries as agriculture and goods production would fall fast with no hope of rising to their once prosperous heights. It is a fact that said inductries and those similar to them can solely support the countries in which they reside by running at full capacity and constantly employing loyal workers who love their jobs and glady, as well as willingly, work on.

This proposed resolution, although under the guise of a "civil rights" advancement, is nothing more than the means of cowing citizens and limiting their right to free will and choice.

If it should pass we may as well assign jobs to civilians rather than let them exercise their free will, and continue down this path of strict control and civil slavery.


I don't see the link between setting a limit on working hours and slavery. Don't those two go in opposite directions?

As for manufacturing, that's why they work shifts, and in most developed countries they already work 40 hour weeks anyway.

I'm not even going to start about how obviously extremist Magdhans is, especially since welfare is only given to people who are unemployed or not making enough money to live on. And work, as we know it, is not human nature, from the making a living standpoint - that would be finding a reasonably large and tasty animal and clubbing or shooting it.

DP

Minimum age & minimum wage should be set be the UN so that employers don't exploit the kids and poor people.
But maximum working hours, that also voluntary - it's ridiculus ludicris

Heres a quote that explains my point of view:

This proposed resolution, although under the guise of a "civil rights" advancement, is nothing more than the means of limiting the citizen's right to free will and choice.

By limiting maximum hours available to work you are not going against free will. What you are doing is expanding a person's quality of life so that they do not become workaholics like the U.S. for instance. If you were a teacher in the public school system then you would see my point clearly. Children lose on this because parents are so busy chasing that almighty dollar that their kids loose out on the attention and love they need. This sure as hell is a personal freedoms debate if I ever saw one. If any of you wonder why people behave in such a grotesque manner these days than look no further to the destruction of the american family because of our obsession with materialistic gains. I'm 27 and see this and I'm a teacher. The future (students) are who is suffering from lack of guidance and love/attention. This all boils down to both parents who have to work and sacrifice the upbringing of their children so they can get ahead w/ their careers. Sorry but it seems to me that priorities are a bit confused here. I guess I work to live and don't live to work. Life is for us to live!!!! not merely survive.

It is not the place for the UN to decide on the work week for all the nations. What are other econimic systems to do? Communist, (or any other alternative econimical system for that matter) countries are thus forced to adopt Capalistic systems in order to conform to the UN.
This is an issue that is better left to the individual nations to decide upon.

Fellow Lovers of Liberty,

If you care about your national sovereignty, we humbly request that you check out the "Selective Defense Act", a proposal currently before the UN.

Despite our political differences, we believe that you will appreciate the political sanity of this legislation and choose to support it.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

-First Among Equals (C.O.P.)

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