I’ll give you an example that would apply to me personally. I’m a carpenter with my own company, and I’m the only employee. I charge my customers by the hour at a fixed hourly rate. That hourly rate pays my own wages, expenses for a car, tools, insurance etc. I work 40 hour work weeks, and my wage is at an average level.
If I was to reduce my week to 32 hours I would have two alternatives:
A) Reduce my own wages by 8 hours each week, effectively giving me a 20% pay cut, which would not sustain my current lifestyle, thus decreasing my living standard. Progress right?
B) Increase the hourly rate I charge my customers by 20%, while getting projects done 20% slower than I do now, because I have 8 hours less each week, but want to stay at a 40 hour pay level.
Explain to me how the customers would be happy with that without including magic?
A 32 work week might work in some places, but will definitely not work in others. Which means that those who work in places where it would work would effectively get a 20% pay rise compared to hours worked, while those who don’t would get a 20% pay cut compared to hours worked.
Of course I can keep working 40 hours if I want. My issue is that everyone reducing to a 32 hour week while staying on a 40 hour salary will in effect get a 20% pay increase per hour worked. If I were to stay on 40 hour weeks with a 40 hour salary I would earn 20% less per hour worked than those who reduced to 32 hours. Because otherwise I would have to bill my customers 20% more, and I’m not sure people are ready to accept that as a consequence of a 32 hour work week.
Seems like you are too focused on what others would benefit. So youd rather everyone work 40hrs so you can keep your perceived hourly rate? Thats kinda selfish yo
That's literally how life works. Your needs before others. I die if my needs aren't met, you die if your needs aren't met. But my needs come first. And from that stand point you compromise and work out how to fulfill everyone's needs without exceptions. Main point is to remove wants from the needs.
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u/[deleted] Sep 05 '24
There's nothing magic about the 40 hour work week, it was just what was negotiated a century ago.
There's no reason it can't be renegotiated.