48hours working week in Britain

[:FI:Macca]

Folks,

As part of my studies we have a simulation of a debate of the Council of Europe regarding the argument over the changes in the lenght of the working week. Together with a friend of mine we were given the task of representing the UK and to defend the 48 hours working week. Others will try to persuade us to lower it... Could somebody give me reasonable reasons for keeping it like that and not lowering it to ,say, 38?

I know that more work hours means bigger productivity (theoretically), so lets say that this might have influence on the height of gross domestic product. Of course - reasons don't have to be economic only. Offices lpen longer?

Any clues?

Would appreciate any help.

Mac

[:FI:Sneaky_Russian]

Or they could lower it to 24 hrs and have full employment + overtime for all.

- but don't start me on a rant here.

Somewhere at the root of this is a failure of successive governments over the past 40 years to maintain a successful housing policy and the subsequent over inflated housing costs that have been the result.

A shorter work week would mean less time for "skiving" .
See definition of skiving

[AltarBoy]

We have a 40-hr work week over here. But the Unions will probably have a field day with that one. You have to take into account the stresses at work and the impact of extra hours and how it affects productivity (sick leave, etc). A company may find it non-productive in cost of medicals to its employees. An example, our airport security used to work 12-hr shifts. The union made application to ICAO complaining that an officer cannot function effectively past 8 hours. So it depends on the type of job.

On a side note my boss's contract ended, now I have no boss, that means I get away with murder! Now where are those flight attendants.

[:FI:Macca]

Thakns but do you know any even at least little reasonable arguments? Damn, why did I choose UK...I could go French and rant about social policy...lol

[:FI:Sneaky_Russian]

Put more simply, workers with high rent or mortgages cant afford to work less hours.

[:FI:Macca]

Thx AB. So imagine me as a British official defending the idea o 48 hr. What shall I say?

I can tell that productivity is bigger, but others will say that tired worker sucks at work. Well,depending on a job, sometimes this is better...

anyway, longer working hours mean that more buisnesses work longer during theday ( so obvius...im tired) and are longer avaliable for people....

stupid debate lol

[:FI:Macca]

ooo that is good Sneaky, thanks, I'm writing it down right now.
That is good.They got to pay for their houses so they gotta work.

[:FI:Sneaky_Russian]

Another thought is that when we were doing a refurbish at a curry house ; they wanted as little down time on the business as possible. We stayed on site (accommodation provided) and worked through most of the time.

Not sure how legislation affects self employed.

HGV and PSV drivers have always had their hours limited since the 50's at least.

[:FI:Macca]

Yeah,it depends on job. thanks for this thoughts,too. I'm browsing the web now in search for some info on the reasons for such point of view of the British authorities...

[:FI:Sneaky_Russian]

They abolished slavery , and now keep us in paper chains.


Now wheres that revolution thread AB started ?

[:FI:Macca]

[:FI:Airway]

I don´t see the difference.

What is the difference etween an 48 hours working week without over hours and a 38 hours working week with 10 hours overtime?

[:FI:Macca]

overtime is better paid?

[:FI:Sneaky_Russian]

overtime is better paid?

"Time and a half" is the term ("Double time" on Sundays and bank holidays.)

[AltarBoy]

I get triple time on Public Holidays. Isn't working on an island just grand?

Altar-Revolution? What Revolution?- Boy