Current Affairs The Labour Party

[Barnfred 55]

I wonder how business' will react to their profits taking a hit by reducing the working week, or is it that the premise will be, less hours, means more output from workers because they will be in a better state of mind.

A lot of them, especially in the service industry, will still need to open 7 days a week. So they either have to take on extra staff, or pay the existing staff additional hours at overtime rates, or they will simply work on lower staff levels which will undoubtedly have an adverse effect on service levels. They will also undoubtedly have to increase prices.

You know the rest. Increased prices, poorer service, people will stop going there. Another failed business and people made redundant.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

They said they'd keep wages the same.

Cheers mate, have been mad busy so haven't caught up yet. I wonder how business would feel about their staff working less hours for the same money, surely less productivity = lower profits.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Three things the LP are proposing are all linked. Minimum wage upto £10ph. Reduce working week to 4 days. Abolish zero hour contracts. As somebody who used to work closely with small business's these can have a huge adverse effect that can only lead to job losses and animosity within the workplace. It will quite possibly decimate the apprentice system too.

The current LP is 100% anti business. If business's don't flourish, they won't be able to pay the workforce or the taxes that pay for the welfare system.

The wealth division in this country is obscene and something does need to change. But these LP policies are not the way to go about it. The vast majority of small business's sail very close to the wind and these policies will make many fail.

With origins in the trade union movement, you'd imagine Labour are fine with business providing it's big and in a relatively monopoly position whereby workers can organise into a union and strikes have an effect. Trains are a good example of this, as for all the grumbling about the train companies, staff working for them get paid incredibly well. Small businesses are not something you feel Labour care or know much about, much less the kind of new industries that will drive a modern economy.

<comedy font>You do wonder with McDonnell's proposal though, whether he's harking back to the 70s and reliving the 3 day week when that kind of union power last had such a positive impact on British life</comedy font>

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

A lot of them, especially in the service industry, will still need to open 7 days a week. So they either have to take on extra staff, or pay the existing staff additional hours at overtime rates, or they will simply work on lower staff levels which will undoubtedly have an adverse effect on service levels. They will also undoubtedly have to increase prices.

You know the rest. Increased prices, poorer service, people will stop going there. Another failed business and people made redundant.

That's what I was thinking mate, less profit for business' because as you say they have to take on extra staff, pay overtime etc, means higher prices for their goods.

 

[The binman chronicles]

If it is properly promoted and costed why wouldn't any person welcome a proposal which actively advocates a work/life balance? Or does the "floating/centrist voter" as you put it think we are not working enough hours? With respect, things like this are what we should be trying to achieve, rather than adhere to the work until you drop culture we still have in a lot of people.

I wouldn't mind a 3 day weekend however it does come with some serious issues that will need to be resolved first. What about teachers? Are we going to lose a fifth of our children's education? Or do we make them do 8 hour days where concentration is likely to suffer? For a business/service that is 24 hours such as the NHS you would need a lot more staff to cover that extra day etc. If we say that businesses stay open the extra day my team of only 2.6 will struggle to cover that and before anyone says you can get more people in, the lot I have been working with have 40 years experience between them and they are still useless. It takes a good 5 years to get to grips with the system as it is so big.

It is very nice on paper but like Brexit has far more nuances than people care to take the time to understand.

 

[dwightschrute]

I wonder how business' will react to their profits taking a hit by reducing the working week, or is it that the premise will be, less hours, means more output from workers because they will be in a better state of mind.

Already mounting evidence and too many studies to link too that work related stress, productivity and mental health are all better the less hours worked.

Output/profits would mostly likely not drop in a lot of sectors and hours wouldn't be wasted in mundane office work (like I'm currently doing now in work browsing a forum as I've done all I can produce for today and this time is pointless running down the clock)

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

Already mounting evidence and too many studies to link too that work related stress, productivity and mental health are all better the less hours worked.

Output/profits would mostly likely not drop in a lot of sectors and hours wouldn't be wasted in mundane office work (like I'm currently doing now in work browsing a forum as I've done all I can produce for today and this time is pointless running down the clock)

I reckon they should just abolish work on a Monday, that would guarantee my vote

 

[larrygobfiend]

Cheers mate, have been mad busy so haven't caught up yet. I wonder how business will feel about there staff working less hours for the same money, surely less productivity = lower profits.

I guess it's down to new technologies taking away the need for so many "man hours".

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Would be interesting too know in this day and age how many people could actually afford to only work 32 hrs a week.

There was a survey of teachers the other week saying most now work 60 hours, so not sure how this would work in the education sector.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Imagine thinking working less hours is "mental" lollollol

Not sure anyone is are they? They're saying having a 32 hour week in any form of legislative form is mental.

 

[larrygobfiend]

I know for a fact I could complete all of my work in a 32 hour week and I'm sure it's the same for plenty of others.

 

[dannyboy]

There was a survey of teachers the other week saying most now work 60 hours, so not sure how this would work in the education sector.

Employ more teachers. I personally believe we need more specialised teachers in primary schools. In other countries teachers get a huge amount of time out of class to prepare, it's what we should be looking to replicate here.

 

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

There was a survey of teachers the other week saying most now work 60 hours, so not sure how this would work in the education sector.

That's the thing I suppose Bruce, it will only work in certain sectors, my missus works for local government and she racks the hours up over a week because she has no choice, so in reality it will only work for some.

 

[dannyboy]

I know for a fact I could complete all of my work in a 32 hour week and I'm sure it's the same for plenty of others.

We should be looking to work less and become more prosperous. It's what has happened throughout history, so why should it stop now?

 

[roydo]

That's the thing I suppose Bruce, it will only work in certain sectors, my missus works for local government and she racks the hours up over a week because she has no choice, so in reality it will only work for some.

I have never really given it a thought before now, but I havnt worked for either a set number of hours nor an hourly rate for what must be 30 plus years. Nor with lunch breaks come to that. The closest to any thing remotely close would be having to be in a meeting or on a plane at a specified time.