NationStates Jolt Archive

(Someone another forum wrote this, but still, it's very good.)

I will never forget the events of that tragic day. It was lunch break and I was sitting in my cubicle munching on an onion bagle with cream cheese and smoked turkey breast. I remember the very moment I stumbled across the tragic story on the internet, a story that the mainstream media largely ignored. I broke out in tears and quietly sobbed in disbelief. "Why, God, why?" I cried out in forlorn confusion. The entire continuation engineering department gophered as I wept the depressing news to my manager. The news was soon read over the intercom, "The French will have to work more than 35 hours a week." The production floor was shut down as every employee sought crisis counseling. I remember leaving work that day as the company flag was lowered to half mast and I yelled out, "What's next, cruel world, what's next?! Will the French have less than 2 months vacation?!"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4248845.stm

Your definition of very good leaves much to be desired.

Oh, and didja ever think that maybe the French have it right? Were we put on this world to live, or to work? 2 months of vacation sounds like heaven to me.

The french seem to love a good strike.

35 hours a week....grrrrrr

2 months holiday...grrrr

I want that dammit...will never get it though :(

If I was going with 35 hour weeks and 2 month holidays, I'd be pissed off if they tried to take it too.

Now that the French can work more than 35 hours a week, maybe they will get some work done. What with strikes, holidays, vacation days, lunch breaks etc.

35 hour weeks are better. The longer everyone has to work, the less jobs are needed, the higher unemployment goes. It's simple logic.

I laugh it, but only because I'm jealous ! :(
The Europeans have it right - we should work to live - not live to work.

I laugh it, but only because I'm jealous ! :(
The Europeans have it right - we should work to live - not live to work.

Well sadly thats the way life is SUPPOSED to work.

We're born, we shag, we get kids, we work to keep them alive, we die. The end.

We're born, we shag, we get kids, we work to keep them alive, we die. The end.

{Delete as appropriate} :)

Well sadly thats the way life is SUPPOSED to work.

We're born, we shag, we get kids, we work to keep them alive, we die. The end.
Not true. I'm gay. I'll not get kids :p

{Delete as appropriate} :)

:D

I'd love to have those working hours. A good strike can be fun too!

Ein Deutscher']Not true. I'm gay. I'll not get kids :p

I'm refering to it being the basic cycle of human life. Not as what society has made it.

Right now I'm working 45 hours/week. I like it. My job's easy.

pfftt, the french dont have a working week, all they do is strike !

Right now I'm working 45 hours/week. I like it. My job's easy.

Wouldn't it be better if you were only working 35hrs at your easy job? Welcome back BTW. :)

Right now I'm working 45 hours/week. I like it. My job's easy.

From what I know, I think I work about 70 hours a week.

I currently work 40 to 45 hours per week.

i worked 66 hours this week, including on my only "day off". I haven't had a paid vacation in about 2 years, and it was only 4 days.
Also, its retail electronics sales and my scheduele changes every week.
Also, i'm a student too.

Also, i wish i lived in france. :headbang:

Well sadly thats the way life is SUPPOSED to work.

We're born, we shag, we get kids, we work to keep them alive, we die. The end.

Having lived in Europe, the UK , Australia - and of course the USA - I have to say that life is NOT supposed to be the way you describe Navy, as Americans I feel that we are compelled to be that way. It's part of " being American " - the hard-core work drive - the striving to be the best. These are fantastic qualities - don't get me wrong, but it's not neccesarily the way life is SUPPOSED to work.

People seemed a lot happier in Australia and Europe ( ok- the French will pout and strike about just about anything ) they just seemed so much happier with the simple pleasures of life - like not dropping dead of a stress-induced coronary at 45 . ;)

Wouldn't it be better if you were only working 35hrs at your easy job? Welcome back BTW. :)
Thanks for the "Welcome back". No, I like working. It kills time and gives me a chance to post on NS and TLO. I rarely find time to post when I'm off.

"Let's make fun of the French!"


Idiots. Each French joke you make makes you one step closer to being another nationalistic conservative yuppie.

"Let's make fun of the French!"


Idiots. Each French joke you make makes you one step closer to being another nationalistic conservative yuppie.
Cool. I've wanted to be a yuppie ever since I first watched "Wall Street". Bud Fox was cool.

Having lived in Europe, the UK , Australia - and of course the USA - I have to say that life is NOT supposed to be the way you describe Navy, as Americans I feel that we are compelled to be that way. It's part of " being American " - the hard-core work drive - the striving to be the best. These are fantastic qualities - don't get me wrong, but it's not neccesarily the way life is SUPPOSED to work.

People seemed a lot happier in Australia and Europe ( ok- the French will pout and strike about just about anything ) they just seemed so much happier with the simple pleasures of life - like not dropping dead of a stress-induced coronary at 45 . ;)

Yes, but that is why Europe no longer is accomplishing as much as stress-induced Japan and America, like it was in the 19th century.
So, it's a two way street. And either one of us can say we drive on the wrong side of it.

My grandparents are from France. I spend a month there every summer ( or used to..until I started working 50 hour weeks in corporate America :rolleyes: ) I have a basis for my teasing.
Don't be so defensive, Saipea - all nationalities get some ribbing now and then on these forums .. sheesh...need a hug ? :fluffle:

oh, and I agree with your above post..

wats all the fuss about i only work part time 15 hrs a week but then i do have a home to run and a family to look after as well, so you could say i work 24/7 but then that is my choice i choose to get married and choose to have kids :)

Ein Deutscher']Not true. I'm gay. I'll not get kids :p

Then yer not hanging around the right bars, sweetie.

Then yer not hanging around the right bars, sweetie.
I don't want kids either. Too expensive and too much work :p

I work 7 days a week, 14 hours per day. That puts me at 98 hours per week. Let's see one of them French pussies do that! ;)

Honestly, I would love to work a third of the hours that I put in, but how would that ever be possible and still the work that I do get done? I don't fill a lot of time at work goofing off spending time on the internet or anyth... oh, wait... nevermind.

If I was going with 35 hour weeks and 2 month holidays, I'd be pissed off if they tried to take it too.

Ok, this 35 hour work week. Is that a 40 hour work week with a 1 hour lunch break Monday to Friday?

That's supposed to be the standard here. When staff have to work more than that it's generally considered exploitation.

What I don't get is why they blame this policy for high unemployment. I would think that if employers have the same amount of work to do, but need more man-hours of work to get it done they'd hire more people. If they're allowed to get one guy to do the work of 2 then you've got more unemployment as laborers suddenly find themselves superflous.

I work 7 days a week, 14 hours per day. That puts me at 98 hours per week. Let's see one of them French pussies do that! ;)

Honestly, I would love to work a third of the hours that I put in, but how would that ever be possible and still the work that I do get done? I don't fill a lot of time at work goofing off spending time on the internet or anyth... oh, wait... nevermind.

Well if people weren't allowed to work more than a certain number of hours then they'd have the upper hand in negotiating pay. Rich people understand that, but they try to tell us the opposite.

This was the real driving force behind the origonal women and child labor laws. It wasn't that men wanted women and children to be safe (doubtless some did, but not enough to push legislation) it was that unionizers didn't want grown men to have to compete with women and children for jobs. Making it expensive to hire women and children meant that men could negotiate for higher salaries because it was STILL cheaper than making the upgrades for women's safety and they weren't allowed to hire kids.

The same would be true if you weren't allowed to work more than a 40 hour week (5 days a week, 8 hours a day, with a lunch hour). You would be in a position to demand enough money to pay for 12 months rent and 7 days food every year, no matter how sucky your job. There just wouldn't be enough people willing to take 1/2 of a subsistence wage because they wouldn't have the option of taking 3 such jobs to pay for food, shelter, and medicine.

Ok, this 35 hour work week. Is that a 40 hour work week with a 1 hour lunch break Monday to Friday?

No, that's 35 hours a week not the 40 we in America work. Seven hours a day instead of our eight.

Ok, this 35 hour work week. Is that a 40 hour work week with a 1 hour lunch break Monday to Friday?



Pretty much. It's the same as the 40 week in that its the 'ideal' but a lot of people don't actually fit into it, like many Americans don't work 9-5 every day.

You would be in a position to demand enough money to pay for 12 months rent and 7 days food every year, no matter how sucky your job. There just wouldn't be enough people willing to take 1/2 of a subsistence wage because they wouldn't have the option of taking 3 such jobs to pay for food, shelter, and medicine.

I eat more than seven days out of the year... what would I do the other 358 days?

Hmmm... I work 29.5 a week, and get 6 weeks paid vacation, plus another two weeks worth of national holdays.


Frankly, you ought to be able to work as many hours as you want/need.

By August 2007 New Zealand companies/workplaces are required to give a minimum of 5 weeks holidays each year! :)

Currently if you work on a holiday you get an extra day plus time and a half pay! :)

Minmum wage has been rasied the last 3 years! :)