10 Hour Working Week

[wornish]

This really proves our politicians have lost the plot.

https://metro.co.uk/2019/06/10/plan-10-hour-working-week-75-paycut-labour-9878450/

[pdk42]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

Sounds like a good plan to me!

[Otto]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

Laughable!

[Naughty Nigel]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

What a brilliant idea. I doubt that it would work for all sorts of reasons but fantasising does no harm.

Problem is, we would also need to limit gas and electricity production to ten hours a week which wouldn't work too well. And no water for the darkroom!

Driving and flying, which are two of our most polluting activities, would also need to be strictly limited.

In fact we would soon be like Venezuela. Didn't one of our leaders think that was a good idea too?

[OM USer]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

The three day week was not a good idea but was forced on us by necessity (I use the word advisedly and with no political bias). I wonder if that led to a brief reduction in CO2 and pollution and whether those who remember it thought it was enviromentally a good thing.

[Naughty Nigel]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

The three day week was not a good idea but was forced on us by necessity (I use the word advisedly and with no political bias). I wonder if that led to a brief reduction in CO2 and pollution and whether those who remember it thought it was enviromentally a good thing.

I remember it well. I was at school at the time and we had regular power cuts as the energy was shared around.

I have hard from several sources that many businesses found that by focusing on the job in hand they were able to do everything they needed to in the three days allowed. Whether that would be possible given current business practices is a matter for debate.

There were of course predictions that we would all be working a three day week by now whist the reality is that most people work more and more, but for what?

If we were to have a three day working week, with production shut down at other times, would we really be that much worse off?

[wornish]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

A broader perspective here comparing other countries.

https://moneymaven.io/mishtalk/economics/labour-party-supports-10-hr-work-week-with-pay-cuts-to-stop-global-warming-z9GYFesoV0-TpR5Vp79epw/

[Naughty Nigel]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

We are told that our food, and especially meat production is a major contributor to global warming.

I must admit I am not overly keen on embracing a totally veggie diet but I can see why reducing our meat consumption is a good idea for all sorts of reasons.

I then heard an interesting contribution on the wireless earlier this week where it was stated that eating outdoor reared and organically produced meats effectively halved CO2 production as there was no need for artificial heating, lighting or manufactured foodstuffs for livestock.

[Otto]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

Here's a slightly less sensationalist article from the Guardian on the same study:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/may/22/working-fewer-hours-could-help-tackle-climate-crisis-study

[Naughty Nigel]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

The three day week was not a good idea but was forced on us by necessity (I use the word advisedly and with no political bias). I wonder if that led to a brief reduction in CO2 and pollution and whether those who remember it thought it was enviromentally a good thing.

More recently we had a period of several days when all flights were grounded after the 911 attacks. It was said that average temperatures dropped by about three degrees over the period. However, a lot of meteorological monitoring stations are based at airports so those figures need to be viewed with caution. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to know whether the data from this period yielded any useful information.

More recently still there was another period of reduced aviation activity following eruption of the volcano in Iceland, but in that case I suspect the emissions from the volcano might distort the figures just a little.

There was also a period about twenty years ago when fuel tanker drivers went on strike for a few days which resulted in much lighter road traffic.

[OM USer]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

...There was also a period about twenty years ago when fuel tanker drivers went on strike for a few days which resulted in much lighter road traffic.

Yes, I remember it, I suppose it was that long ago.

[MJ224]

[Jax]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

I doubt if that would have much effect on the vast majority of members of this forum, myself included

Jax

[wornish]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

So what would we do with the remaining 158 hours a week?

and .... more importantly

Who pays for it?

[Jim Ford]

Re: 10 Hour Working Week

The three day week was not a good idea but was forced on us by necessity (I use the word advisedly and with no political bias). I wonder if that led to a brief reduction in CO2 and pollution and whether those who remember it thought it was enviromentally a good thing.

I was living in Ealing at the time and remember standing in the middle of the crossroads of the North Circular and Uxbridge Roadat Ealing Common, and looking all ways there wasn't a car in sight!

Jim