View Full Version : Four-day workweeks to save gas?
kg4kww
04-30-2008, 08:46 PM
Four-day workweeks to save gas?
This makes to much sense for the overpaid dumb bells who sit in the ceo's office
to understand and make happen.
Can the president put forth an executive order making this happen?
FROM CNN’s Jack Cafferty:
44 percent of Americans in a recent survey said paying for gasoline was a serious problem for them. Gasoline costs were the most frequently cited economic concern across all income levels. 25 percent of people who make more than $75,000 per year said it’s a serious problem while a whopping 63 percent of folks who earn less than $30,000 feel that way.
The cost of gasoline far outranks the number two economic concern, getting a good paying job or a raise at 29 percent and paying for healthcare and health insurance at 28 percent. The survey was conducted on behalf of the Kaiser Family Foundation.
And all indications are it’s going to get worse before it gets better. As gasoline shoots past $4 per gallon in some parts of the country, the president of OPEC is predicting crude oil prices could hit $200 per barrel. A year ago average gas prices were less than $3 per gallon according to AAA.
One idea being tossed around as a way of dealing with this is the four-day workweek. Several states are considering it. Staggered work schedules would be necessary in order to keep government offices open five days a week, and some have suggested that would end up costing the taxpayers more money. It’s also an idea that may gain traction in the private sector. I, for one, think it’s a terrific idea.
full story (http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/30/save-fuel-by-working-less/)
N4VGB
04-30-2008, 09:10 PM
Four ten hour days and staggered schedules is something my old employer did years ago. I loved it and volunteered for the program. It was eventually dropped because of a slight drop in the overall productivity numbers and it also brought about a slight increase in the category of connecting overtime. It should make a big dent in the total commuting use of gasoline at this time!
kg4kww
05-01-2008, 12:19 AM
I agree that some people will abuse the telecommute priv if granted by their employer. It's sad that one bad apple ruins the rest.
Feasible for me, but fat chance of that happening to other people at my workplace.
The news never stops.
ad5mb
05-01-2008, 12:42 AM
For about the last 5 years, maybe more.
Fridays off. Regrettably, every doctor, dentist et al do that too, so you still have to take days off for that.
You want to head for the lake, get there Thursday night, select your camp site, always a good one.
Monday holidays makes it a 4 day weekend, followed by a 32 hour workweek. Take 32 hours vacation; get 10 days in a row.
Overtime days are also 10 hours. 50 hour workweek with a 2 day weekend bites the moose.
You need to work on the car; pull it apart Friday, get parts Saturday, put it together Sunday.
A day of work, a day of play and a day of rest every weekend; not necessarily in that order.
Every other Friday off, compressed work schedules work. Not only would gasoline consumption be reduced, but the extended three-day weekends (every other week) would reduce workplace heating and cooling energy costs across the Nation. The impacts would be huge -- and positive for consumers and businesses alike.
W1GUH
05-01-2008, 02:52 AM
I've been on the 9/80 workweek plan almost contuously since '94. 9/80 is, 9 hours Mon-Thur, 8 hours every other Friday. The other Friday is a weekend day (no work).
Most of the big defense electronic firms are doing that, Lockheed-Martin, Northrop-Grumman, Raytheon, BAE Systems. It's been working just fine.
And those Fridays off are very sweet!
kf6rdn
05-01-2008, 03:25 AM
This thread needs to be in the Ragchew where it belongs.
I've been on the 9/80 workweek plan almost contuously since '94. 9/80 is, 9 hours Mon-Thur, 8 hours every other Friday. The other Friday is a weekend day (no work).
Most of the big defense electronic firms are doing that, Lockheed-Martin, Northrop-Grumman, Raytheon, BAE Systems. It's been working just fine.
And those Fridays off are very sweet!
That sounds good unless you have management who insists on you giving up your Fridays off and working weekends all the time. Of course, management exempts themselves from that madness.
Yeah, it works fine - if you are allowed to do it.
k3roj
05-01-2008, 11:17 AM
Hey, I would love working only 4 days a week. I would then be able to take the family to Ocean City each weekend since only having the weekend off makes it difficult to drive the 300 mile round trip.
W4HAY
05-01-2008, 11:41 AM
Our contract engineering firm did 4/10s for years because of the increased productivity. Plus it left Fridays open for rush jobs for which the clients paid a premium and we got time-and-a-half. :)
K8ERV
05-01-2008, 12:42 PM
Me no workem, me retired, me like that. Me sittem at home poundem keys.
TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo
WB8MKV
05-01-2008, 12:45 PM
Most of the "dumbbells" are those driving SUV,s...why not get a vehicle that gets 30 -40 mpg. p.s. there are a few dealer ships here in Michigan that will not take a SUV as a trade in..and the reason is obvious..it will sit there until "H" freezes over
N4VGB
05-01-2008, 03:34 PM
Most of the "dumbbells" are those driving SUV,s...why not get a vehicle that gets 30 -40 mpg. p.s. there are a few dealer ships here in Michigan that will not take a SUV as a trade in..and the reason is obvious..it will sit there until "H" freezes over
Could it be that some of us have something to do besides commute!? DUH!? Have much luck hauling anything heavy in a mini anything there!? Yeah, that's what I thought. :rolleyes:
K8YZK
05-01-2008, 04:42 PM
Hey it's a good idea, I think France has a 4 day work week. Problem is will you get the same pay as a 5 day work week, if not, you might save gas, but the bill collectors will be after you. Can't pay all the bills with 4 days gone from the account. Now if I would get the same pay, I would love a 3 day weekend everyweek.
Every other Friday off, compressed work schedules work. Not only would gasoline consumption be reduced, but the extended three-day weekends (every other week) would reduce workplace heating and cooling energy costs across the Nation. The impacts would be huge -- and positive for consumers and businesses alike.
Fat chance of that happening. Some employers already encourage their employees to work 50-60 hour weeks, and weekends.
kg4kww
05-01-2008, 08:37 PM
K8ERV what else do you poundem?? :D
I want all of you to let your bosses and congress people know that you want a four day work week.
However, UT's can't do a four day work week as inventory could start to pileup.
BTW, Henry the 8th was a real peace of work.
Watch the Showtime show called the Tudors to find out more.
W3MIV
05-01-2008, 08:41 PM
Years ago, we instituted a four-day work week in summer. The idea was to give employees long weekends during the "outdoors" season. We varied the schedules so that some staff had Mondays off and others had Fridays off; both groups got a long weekend from the deal. We did this by making every normal work day longer by two hours, with the choice being left to each employee as to whether the extra time would be in morning or evening (or both).
It was semi-successful, with the major problem being a drop in efficiency that gradually became more apparent as the summer season progressed. We tried the program for two years and then dropped it. Not having any bean-counters or "efficiency experts" on staff, we made no real effort to actually measure the drop off, but its effects showed up in the numbers of simple mistakes that grew steadily over the season.
As to the employees and their gasoline outlays, I have little sympathy. If you want the job, you'll figure a way to get to work. There are buses, carpools and other means than a pickup or SUV getting single-digit mpg. Bottom Line: You bought it; you feed it. Whining won't get it done.
N9MOQ
05-01-2008, 08:50 PM
Four-day workweeks to save gas?
That assumes that for the 3 days everyone has off, they will stay at home and not use the car to go anywhere.
WB8MKV
05-01-2008, 08:51 PM
France has a 30 hour week for most occupations. so that the muslim and other minorities can work also..not putting such a drain on un employment funds...France now has a 10% muslim population..
France has a 30 hour week for most occupations. so that the muslim and other minorities can work also..not putting such a drain on un employment funds...France now has a 10% muslim population..
France has a 35 hour work week.
And it was that way before the big influx of middle eastern immigrants.
You are right, it does help with unemployment issues.
And it has a higher quality of life than the US.
France has a 30 hour week for most occupations. so that the muslim and other minorities can work also..not putting such a drain on un employment funds...France now has a 10% muslim population..
You are so FOS I'm smelling it from here.
France's 4 day workweek existed long before they had a huge influx of Muslim immigrants.
They close on Thursday and open half day on Saturday.
I know this because I was taught this 17 years ago.
K0RGR
05-01-2008, 09:59 PM
Don't count on American business leaders to help you out there.
The current trend is to require more hours at work, and less telecommuting.
I just returned to the office after 7 months working from home, and I like it here, though, in fact, I was more efficient in many ways working from home.
Now, they expect us to be on call 24X7 at least one week out of every 7 or 8. In my case, it will be at least 2 out of every 8. Lovely--- somehow I'll have to rebuild my home office, so I can at least work from home if I get called at night. Otherwise, it's a drive back here - fortunately not a real long one.
Quite frankly- the service economy is becoming just what I expected it to - one giant sweatshop. We'll all be working like coolies before long. This is the ultimate goal of unbridled capitalism, isn't it?
ad5mb
05-02-2008, 12:32 AM
Most of the "dumbbells" are those driving SUV,s...why not get a vehicle that gets 30 -40 mpg.
The only vehicles I can sit upright in are Ford vehicles. My head scrapes the roof in F 150s and Broncos. I look over the top of the windshield in my Mustang convertible. People would stare and point when I drove an MGB.
Vehicle that gets 30 - 40 MPG. Most people put 10,000 a year on their vehicle. Here in NM, make that 20, 000. There are many cities with more population than this whole state. Show me a 30 MPG car that can carry a big boy around and survive 20,000 a year on NMs roads.
The only vehicles I can sit upright in are Ford vehicles. My head scrapes the roof in F 150s and Broncos. I look over the top of the windshield in my Mustang convertible. People would stare and point when I drove an MGB.
Vehicle that gets 30 - 40 MPG. Most people put 10,000 a year on their vehicle. Here in NM, make that 20, 000. There are many cities with more population than this whole state. Show me a 30 MPG car that can carry a big boy around and survive 20,000 a year on NMs roads.
Reply With Quote
Get yourself over to Thunderbird Harley-Davidson. I guarantee they have a bike you can sit upright on and it will get that mileage or even better. Plenty of big guys ride. They have all kinds of saddles that can accommodate any posterior. Park the truck for occasional snow days. I ride mine most every day, all year long. When I don't I'm riding a bicycle.
ad5mb
05-02-2008, 01:54 AM
1980 FLH 80. 36 MPG
Guaranteed thunderstorms in central NM, 2 PM - 5 PM, July 4th weekend to Labor day weekend. Your basic wrath of God frog stranglers. Lightning strikes about 1 per square mile.
Roads like an obstacle course. Drunk driving is a class taught in high school.
40 mile one way commute.
I'm OK with a 20 MPG Mustang convertible.
kg4kww
05-05-2008, 06:24 PM
I think companies should start offering 4 day work weeks to all employes both FTE and Contractor. This will help to save fuel.
But, remember, UT's can't do a four day work week as inventory could start to pileup.
BTW, Henry the 8th was a real peace of work.
Watch the Showtime show called the Tudors to find out more.
w2amr
05-06-2008, 07:55 AM
This thread needs to be in the Ragchew where it belongs.
Some people just have no respect for the rules. :p
n6hcm
05-06-2008, 08:15 AM
I think companies should start offering 4 day work weeks to all employes both FTE and Contractor. This will help to save fuel.
But, remember, UT's can't do a four day work week as inventory could start to pileup.
you call your customers "inventory?" freaky.
contractors can do four-day work weeks any time they want. that's why they're contractors.
contractors can do four-day work weeks any time they want. that's why they're contractors.
Sure they can. And the contract can be terminated for that too.
kg4kww
05-06-2008, 09:06 PM
Ryan, you are right, it's up to the company.
Yup, but it is freaky to refer to your customers as inventory.:eek:
kg4kww
05-06-2008, 09:14 PM
What is inventory?
Inventory is stored product in your companies warehouse.