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   100 years ago today, the eight-hour workday became law

19 Jun 2012 09:37 AM   |   6533 clicks   |   Google
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xanadian    [TotalFark]  
...in France?

Sure don't have any legally mandated 8-hour day here in America...

/used to work 12-16 hour days, no overtime pay, as an "engineer" on a construction project

19 Jun 2012 09:18 AM
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Jon iz teh kewl     
i read it as 8 years ago, the 100 hour workday became law

19 Jun 2012 09:39 AM
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mithras_angel     
And today, Republicans are trying to roll that, and any other worker protection, back.

19 Jun 2012 09:39 AM
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jopy666     
I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

19 Jun 2012 09:40 AM
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Jubeebee    [TotalFark]  
I wonder what that's like.

19 Jun 2012 09:41 AM
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factoryconnection    [TotalFark]  
It probably helped that it was determined that a five-day, 40-hour week was the most productive for laborers. Not just in productivity/hour, but actually overall productivity (with quality, and remember re-work is expensive) is at its best with a 40-hour week.

I've worked all sorts of setups... hourly grunt, military on deployment (always on), military in office (the opposite), regular industry management (lots of hours, lots of days, lots of stress) and government contracting (mostly 40-hour weeks). I'm glad that, at least, having most weekends off is the norm despite the litany of anecdotes-as-data that will follow.

19 Jun 2012 09:42 AM
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Lawnchair     
And 79 years since the US Senate voted for the 30-hour workweek. Including a ban on importing goods from countries that did not uphold a 30-hour workweek.

66 years since Richard M. Nixon campaigned for Congress on bringing in the 30-hour week.

/ ahh, progress

19 Jun 2012 09:42 AM
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Dow Jones and the Temple of Doom    [TotalFark]  
Now we need the 5 day, 6 hour week.

19 Jun 2012 09:43 AM
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Jon iz teh kewl     
Lawnchair: And 79 years since the US Senate voted for the 30-hour workweek. Including a ban on importing goods from countries that did not uphold a 30-hour workweek.

66 years since Richard M. Nixon campaigned for Congress on bringing in the 30-hour week.

/ ahh, progress


jasonrosenbaum.typepad.com

BROOOOO

19 Jun 2012 09:44 AM
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Sudo_Make_Me_A_Sandwich     
xanadian: Sure don't have any legally mandated 8-hour day here in America...

If you read the article, it's for federal employees except those working on the Panama canal. And while the 40-hour week isn't universal in America, a huge percentage of the workforce gets overtime pay after 40 hours.

19 Jun 2012 09:44 AM
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God Is My Co-Pirate    [TotalFark]  
jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Quick! We must give your landlord a tax cut!

19 Jun 2012 09:45 AM
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boogie_down     
jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

images.cheezburger.com

19 Jun 2012 09:45 AM
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jayg22     
Its nice the government exempted itself from following its own law.

/like always.

19 Jun 2012 09:45 AM
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Philip J. Fry     
Headline later today:

Mitt Romney refuses to answer question regarding his stance on the 8 hour work day. Insists American workers will be overtaken by future events.

19 Jun 2012 09:46 AM
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theknuckler_33    [TotalFark]  
I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

19 Jun 2012 09:47 AM
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stevetherobot     
jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

19 Jun 2012 09:48 AM
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randomjsa     
I have a "when the work is done" hour work week.

This could be 60+ hours or it could be 10 hours.

19 Jun 2012 09:49 AM
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Jon iz teh kewl     
stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?


probably cause he likes to have money

19 Jun 2012 09:50 AM
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Cybernetic     
jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Have you considered changing jobs? Or maybe changing careers?

19 Jun 2012 09:50 AM
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Guelph35     
jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

You really should start charging more than $5 for a handjob

19 Jun 2012 09:52 AM
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dj_spanmaster     
I'm moving to Sweden to enjoy their 26 hour work week.

19 Jun 2012 09:54 AM
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Jeremysbrain     
Jon iz teh kewl: stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money


Or he couldn't get a job at Walmart, which has better working conditions and pay than he describes.

19 Jun 2012 09:55 AM
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Because People in power are Stupid    [TotalFark]  
scrapetv.com

Because having free time = socialism

19 Jun 2012 09:56 AM
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mayIFark     
great. now can we start using that law? Or when is it scheduled fo go in effect?

19 Jun 2012 09:58 AM
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micah1701     
mithras_angel: And today, Republicans are trying to roll that, and any other worker protection, back.

[citation needed]

19 Jun 2012 10:00 AM
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willyfreddy     
100treatises.com

19 Jun 2012 10:00 AM
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Jubeebee    [TotalFark]  
Lawnchair: And 79 years since the US Senate voted for the 30-hour workweek. Including a ban on importing goods from countries that did not uphold a 30-hour workweek.

66 years since Richard M. Nixon campaigned for Congress on bringing in the 30-hour week.

/ ahh, progress


Can't have that and also have a consumer society. A highly educated and highly skilled worker can make enough money to cover the basics in 20-30 hours a week, provided companies pay part timers equivalent hourly wages as full timers.

But having two part timers instead of one full timer doing a single job means that the demand for those workers increases while the supply stays the same. This puts the power in the employer-employee relationship in the hands of the employee, which is unacceptable.

So instead it's become the norm to treat anyone who doesn't work 40-60 hours a week like a degenerate, and pay them accordingly. We then create a culture that equates purchases and possessions with luxury and happiness.

You need to make more money to buy better things, and we hope no one notices that all the distractions and coping mechanisms people buy wouldn't be necessary if they didn't spend half their waking lives doing something they hate. Much better to have our best and brightest churning their lives away so they can someday have the same car as their boss.

19 Jun 2012 10:01 AM
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Wendy's Chili    [TotalFark]  
micah1701: mithras_angel: And today, Republicans are trying to roll that, and any other worker protection, back.

[citation needed]


Really?

19 Jun 2012 10:02 AM
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Lando Lincoln    [TotalFark]  
jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

One thing you should not do is join a union. That would be socialism.

19 Jun 2012 10:10 AM
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Prevailing Wind     
micah1701: mithras_angel: And today, Republicans are trying to roll that, and any other worker protection, back.

[citation needed]


I lol'ed


I keep waiting for republicans to just come out and end the gag. "We were seriously just shiatting you with all that american dream shiat. We're totally out to fark you brown guy."

19 Jun 2012 10:10 AM
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texmeth     
theknuckler_33: I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

19 Jun 2012 10:12 AM
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hp6sa     
Check out page 4... arguing about the evils of alcohol, and suggesting that laws be changed, blah blah.

/let's see how that turns out.

19 Jun 2012 10:15 AM
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Jeremysbrain     
Jubeebee: Lawnchair: And 79 years since the US Senate voted for the 30-hour workweek. Including a ban on importing goods from countries that did not uphold a 30-hour workweek.

66 years since Richard M. Nixon campaigned for Congress on bringing in the 30-hour week.

/ ahh, progress

Can't have that and also have a consumer society. A highly educated and highly skilled worker can make enough money to cover the basics in 20-30 hours a week, provided companies pay part timers equivalent hourly wages as full timers.

But having two part timers instead of one full timer doing a single job means that the demand for those workers increases while the supply stays the same. This puts the power in the employer-employee relationship in the hands of the employee, which is unacceptable.


No company is going to swap its full time work force for twice as many part timers, and not for the reasons you site. If you have 2 part timers doing the same job as one full timer you have doubled your training costs, increased the costs for accident insurance and unemployement insurance and your probably going to have to pay more to your health care company to cover them both.

Plus if this is for any type of customer service job you have now doubled the number of people the customer has to deal with or cut in half the amount of time the employee is available to service his customer.

But most of all where you had one person to take ownership and responsibilty of a task, you now have two, which doubles your chances that someone will drop the ball or a miscommunication will occur.

19 Jun 2012 10:18 AM
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stevetherobot     
Jeremysbrain: Jon iz teh kewl: stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money

Or he couldn't get a job at Walmart, which has better working conditions and pay than he describes.


Jon iz teh kewl: stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money


What money? If he can't pay then rent, then he has a negative balance. Plus, he's working himself to death.

19 Jun 2012 10:18 AM
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Because People in power are Stupid    [TotalFark]  
micah1701: mithras_angel: And today, Republicans are trying to roll that, and any other worker protection, back.

[citation needed]


[citation given]

19 Jun 2012 10:19 AM
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Carn     
texmeth: theknuckler_33: I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.


It's a question of motivation.

19 Jun 2012 10:20 AM
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jso2897     
Curse you, Lucky Ducky!

19 Jun 2012 10:21 AM
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Private_Citizen     
Salary. It's how the 40 hour work week became a footnote.

19 Jun 2012 10:23 AM
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Jeremysbrain     
stevetherobot: What money? If he can't pay then rent, then he has a negative balance. Plus, he's working himself to death.

I can't imagine what job he could possible have where he is working that much and still can't make rent on a one bedroom apartment in the bad side of town.

19 Jun 2012 10:24 AM
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spacelord321     
Jeremysbrain: Jon iz teh kewl: stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money

Or he couldn't get a job at Walmart, which has better working conditions and pay than he describes.


When was last time YOU lived off your Wal-Mart pay? A full time job that doesn't require a college education does not pay the bills anymore. And not everyone can jump right into college. Some people had to work full time through high school just to help the family pay the bills. There never really is a chance for them to think about college, let alone pursue it. You couple that with family problems, and you have an embattled child who can not picture how to thrive. They learn only how to survive.

A society that requires higher learning for a comfortable living would most certainly use slave labor. We are building a classy world.

19 Jun 2012 10:27 AM
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Jeremysbrain     
Private_Citizen: Salary. It's how the 40 hour work week became a footnote.

I think many men are greatful for there long hours and salary compensation they have it gives them an excuss to not go home to the harpys they married.

19 Jun 2012 10:28 AM
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Mose     
Carn: texmeth: theknuckler_33: I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.

It's a question of motivation.


Let me tell you something, you're a straight shooter with upper management written all over you.

19 Jun 2012 10:29 AM
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EbolaNYC     
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA !!! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAHAHAHAHAH!!! EIGHT HOUR WORKWEEK IS LAW??? AHAHAHAHHAHAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! *gasp* *gasp*..*sob*

19 Jun 2012 10:32 AM
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Smoking GNU     
JOB KILLING REGULATIONS!!!!!!

19 Jun 2012 10:32 AM
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spacelord321     
texmeth: theknuckler_33: I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual, work.


"I wouldn't say I've been missing it, Bob."

19 Jun 2012 10:33 AM
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stevetherobot     
spacelord321: Jeremysbrain: Jon iz teh kewl: stevetherobot: jopy666: I work 12-14 hours a day, no overtime pay and just shy of third world conditions and dont have enough money to pay rent in a one bedroom apt in a really seedy neighborhood.

Then why do you work there?

probably cause he likes to have money

Or he couldn't get a job at Walmart, which has better working conditions and pay than he describes.

When was last time YOU lived off your Wal-Mart pay? A full time job that doesn't require a college education does not pay the bills anymore. And not everyone can jump right into college. Some people had to work full time through high school just to help the family pay the bills. There never really is a chance for them to think about college, let alone pursue it. You couple that with family problems, and you have an embattled child who can not picture how to thrive. They learn only how to survive.

A society that requires higher learning for a comfortable living would most certainly use slave labor. We are building a classy world.


1990. Living was probably cheaper then.

19 Jun 2012 10:34 AM
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Magnanimous_J     
Jeremysbrain: stevetherobot: What money? If he can't pay then rent, then he has a negative balance. Plus, he's working himself to death.

I can't imagine what job he could possible have where he is working that much and still can't make rent on a one bedroom apartment in the bad side of town.


He either works an entry level salaried job, or a commissioned sales job. I worked almost a year at a sales/recruiting job that was 100% commission. It had a 1500/month draw that I rarely broke. Every time I would be at my wits end, the owners would put me back together again and promise that with just a few more extra hours, it would crack wide open and I would be swimming in money.

Never happened. I W2'd just over 18k in 11 months. I rented a room in a shiatty house that was being foreclosed on, and I think I was lucky to have that. If I didn't have a paid off car and low debt, I would have been sunk.

19 Jun 2012 10:35 AM
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Snarfangel     
I used to work 12 hours per day (7am-9pm, with an hour for lunch and an hour for dinner), but would alternate 3 and 4 days off per week (I'd work 3 12-hour days one week, and 4 12-hour days the next). It was hard work, but I loved my weekends. :)

/And I was awesomely productive.
//I'd immediately crash once I got home on work days, though.
///Way back when every ISP was a startup.

19 Jun 2012 10:36 AM
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EbolaNYC     
theknuckler_33: I will be amused by the number of farkers complaining of working far more than 8 hours a day while posting in a fark thread.

It's not a +8 hour work day because people choose to stay at work all that time. It's a product of working for people who hate their personal lives, are defined by their jobs and dismiss the scientifically proven fact that working much longer hours doesn't make people more productive.

You're either one of those, or you work 8 hours and really don't know what it's like.

So seriously, just STFU.

/self-employed

19 Jun 2012 10:38 AM
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Mr. Right     
Jeremysbrain: Private_Citizen: Salary. It's how the 40 hour work week became a footnote.

I think many men are greatful for there long hours and salary compensation they have it gives them an excuss to not go home to the harpys they married.


Reminds me of a former co-worker. He had taken a job with a different company. A couple months later I ran into him at a professional organization meeting. Asked him how the new job was going. He allowed as how it was godawful. His co-workers were idiots, the owners of the company were nepotistic asshats and he was hired to be the "not-a-member-of-the-family fall guy;" the hours were brutal, even his office sucked because the AC didn't reach his office but there weren't any windows - even his office chair was a piece of crap that gave him a constant backache. I asked if he was looking for a new job. He responded that he was going to stay there because, for the first time in his married life, he actually looked forward to going home.

19 Jun 2012 10:39 AM
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