4 Day Work Week, All In Favor...

austin552 · austin552's Garage

My sons work went to four day weeks a couple months back and he picked up a PT. Now with the mail delivery and schools talking about it, started me day dreaming. Oh well back to work 5@12hrs...

legion · 03-08-2010, 05:42 AM

Mitsubishi (here in Normal) has been on a 4 day work-week for close to two years. Everyone there wishes they weren't.

speedracing944 · speedracing944's Garage

I have been on the 0 day work week since graduating but I am hoping to be back up to a 5 day work week soon.

Speedy

legion · 03-08-2010, 05:46 AM

How'd your interview in the "other" Bloomington go?

austin552 · austin552's Garage

Speedy, I will donate one of my 12hr days to ya.

vash · vash's Garage

9/80 would be nice. either way, glad to be chugging along.

masraum · 03-08-2010, 05:58 AM

Having every other Fri off would be nice. I put in about 45-50 hours a week anyway (which isn't that bad really).

Gogar · 03-08-2010, 06:30 AM

IMO 4-day work week won't work in the USA until

Americans learn

what WORKING is.

ie: NOT on PPOT, NOT on your phone, NOT Texting, etc.

Only then do I think it could work.

You always see studies about how Americans are the Hardest workers out there, and you and I all know its complete BS. MAYBE americans are "At the workplace" the most, farting around on the internet and texting and talking on the phone and walking very very slowly to the water cooler.

TechnoViking · TechnoViking's Garage

I want the fireman's deal. 3 days on, 4 days off. Great bennies, pension, etc., lift weights all day, pick up on women, and you could work a PT if you wanted extra cash for the boat.

vwbobd · vwbobd's Garage

I worked at a freightliner service facility as a forman ( open 24/7) and we were on 4 off 4 12hr shifts. it was kinda cool. worked out that when you took your vacation you were off 12 days straight due to the rotation

Once when the guy who worked opposite of me had surgery I worked 32 days straight @ 12 hrs a day. Made lots o overtime too. They didnt make me , they asked if I wanted to or they could get a fill in. Im kinda greedy so I took it

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I think the BMW factory in Munich has been on a nine hour per day, four day work week for over 20 yrs. When I worked at the Bayer factory, we did 160 hours in three weeks and then had a week off each month. It was awesome for me, as I was a student, made a ton of money there and had a week per month to travel around Europe. When I got tired of hitchiking, affording a flight was no problem.

Superman · 03-08-2010, 08:09 AM

At the turn of the century we had 8 year-old boys getting hurt and killed working in underground mines seventy hour per week, 7 days. We had 8 year-old girls getting hurt and killed in garment factories....same work week.

Then, in 1911, there was the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire that claimed the lives of 146 girls. The mangled fire escape became the poster child in the campaign to enact labor laws:

First the New York State Legislature followed by Congress enacted sweeping labor law. Children were removed from the workforce. Ultimately, the work week was regulated to 40 hours. Minimum wage law was enacted.

Business, naturally, vigorously opposed any and all labor regulations predicting that if enacted, would lead to economic disaster. Labor law was enacted nevertheless, and the result was the most prosperous period in American economic history. First there was the Roaring Twenties. Then of course (as it did lately) Wall Street became ridiculously overactive leading to economic disaster. That disaster was repaired in large part through the enactment of additional labor regs.

A four-day work week would probably increase both consumption and productivity. Unless you ask Business who would, of course, predict the sky would fall.

David · David's Garage

I work a 4/10 schedule, Mon - Thur.

I still have to work some weekends, but I don't complain (too much) since I have a lot of 3 day weekends.

We started it back in the '90s to reduce fuel consumption from commuting and because our barginning unit guys are guaranteed two 15 minute breaks whether it's an 8 or 10 hour day, so it saves us 2 breaks a week.

Oh Haha · 03-08-2010, 02:40 PM

When I started my new job it was 4 days a week, MWRF. It was kind of cool having Tuesdays off.

Since October I have been working Tuesdays in the dispatcher's office, learning the ins and outs of this business.

When I was manager at the vending company my work week was usually 60-65 hours 5 days a week and any problem calls went to me to solve, day or night.

I DO NOT miss that level of responsibility.

I've had more and more doctor's offices working 4 days lately. Some have even closed entirely.

They tell me it is because of the decline of Big Three insurance plans and what is covered.

sammyg2 · 03-08-2010, 02:52 PM

I work a 4 day work week already and with my 4 weeks of vacation per year, holidays, etc I prolly average closer to 3 1/2 days per wk (11 hour days)

Took me 30 years to get to this point tho ......... when I was younger I averaged closer to 60 hours a week.

m21sniper · 03-08-2010, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gogar

IMO 4-day work week won't work in the USA until

Americans learn

what WORKING is.

ie: NOT on PPOT, NOT on your phone, NOT Texting, etc.

Only then do I think it could work.

You always see studies about how Americans are the Hardest workers out there, and you and I all know its complete BS. MAYBE americans are "At the workplace" the most, farting around on the internet and texting and talking on the phone and walking very very slowly to the water cooler.

What makes you think europeans and asians dont do this?

wcc · 03-08-2010, 06:33 PM

I went to 4-10s and LOVED it. I had a ton of free time. So I decided to open my own small business and that added at least 35hrs of work to my week. I'm sure I spend more time than that thinking about stuff, changing things, tweaking stuff so I'd think it's closer to another full-time job if it's not already...

Before this I worked 5-8hr days a week and I still found time to own a small minor auto body business, which I sold because of getting married and having kids. But I still found time to frame houses, build decks, fences, sheds, finish basements etc on my free time.

Before that I worked two jobs (eves & weekends) while at MSU doing my BSCE degree. Which I completed in 3yrs when my classmates took 5yrs with no job... This is when I learned about the internet and computers. I wasn't exposed to them till about '97 because that's how the homework was to be done and turned in.

Even before that, I did the military thing to get the GI bill just to go to college....

So Gogar - I have a very hard time swallowing your statement that American's don't know what 'real' work is like. There's more than you think! However I maybe a special case but I believe that most of us Americans once pushed a little will stand up to any task...

Tobra · Tobra's Garage

Bill, you are exceptional, you delineate this in your post, with your comparison to your peers. Trust and believe the average person is a lazy bastard.

Jim, why is it alway Management vs Labor with you? Everything is not an adversarial relationship, honestly. You need to spend some time in real life occasionally, or at the very least this century.

I am self employed, so this 4, or even 5 day work week does not really apply to me. I know people who like the 3x12, 4x10 week

Gogar · 03-08-2010, 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wcc

So Gogar - I have a very hard time swallowing your statement that American's don't know what 'real' work is like.

Don't worry. I meant everyone except the guys on PPOT.

rattlsnak · rattlsnak's Garage

i'm currently working 7on/7off. thursday to wed. took some time to get used to the 7 on, but 7 off every other week is very nice! (also, the 7 on, is gone away from home -travel-)