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Demeralda
F L I N T O I D
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If this country is so great, why don't we get any vacation?
At my first company, it was a miracle -- all of our clients were German and French, so by association WE didn't have any work all summer. That was when I first realized how short-changed we are. We work just as hard -- harder, in fact! -- and our quality of life decreases.
What gives? Why have we become a country of automatons and slaves to our corporate masters... who are supposed to be shareholders just like us! Where did this crew get together and decide that vacation was bad for all of America?
Oh, I KNOW! The rich guys decided they weren't getting rich fast enough with all these lazy workers who want days off for stupid things like... kids with chicken pox!
And of course, the most telling thing about this article:
These developments have been fueled in part by the decline of the nation's labor unions.
http://www.slate.com/id/2193389/
Excerpt:
In researching my book, I was surprised to learn that the United States is the only industrial nation that doesn't guarantee its workers any paid vacation at all—which explains why, amazing as it may sound, one in four workers in the private sector doesn't receive any. In the 27 nations of the European Union, by contrast, workers are guaranteed at least four weeks off. (In France, most receive six weeks.) The United States is also the only industrial nation that doesn't guarantee paid sick days to its workers, and as a result, nearly 60 million workers—43 percent of middle-class workers and 77 percent of low-wage workers—don't get any, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. (The Family and Medical Leave Act allows for 12 unpaid weeks off if an employee—of a company with 50 or more workers—is sick or has to care for a spouse, child, or parent.)
According to a study of 173 nations worldwide, the United States is one of just four that does not provide paid maternity leave. The others are Swaziland, Liberia, and Papua New Guinea. That's not the usual company we keep. |
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I'm no model lady. A model's just an imitation of the real thing. - Mae West |
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:37 pm |
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twotap
F L I N T O I D
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The whole summer off with pay ??? who the hell ya think ya are a school teacher living off the taxpayers  
So tell us if you had your own company working on a lean profit margin how many days would you be willing to pay someone to be non productive?? I know, I know , all business owners are rich and can afford it but just curious how you would handle it? 
quote:
company with 50 or more workers
Sorry folks but we have to let you go, gotta scale back to 49 employees thanks to the latest lib dem proposal. |
_________________
"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times. |
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 12:51 pm |
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Public D
F L I N T O I D
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 1:10 pm |
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Adam Ford
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Demeralda schreef:
If this country is so great, why don't we get any vacation?
At my first company, it was a miracle -- all of our clients were German and French, so by association WE didn't have any work all summer. That was when I first realized how short-changed we are. We work just as hard -- harder, in fact! -- and our quality of life decreases.
What gives? Why have we become a country of automatons and slaves to our corporate masters... who are supposed to be shareholders just like us! Where did this crew get together and decide that vacation was bad for all of America?
Oh, I KNOW! The rich guys decided they weren't getting rich fast enough with all these lazy workers who want days off for stupid things like... kids with chicken pox!
And of course, the most telling thing about this article:
These developments have been fueled in part by the decline of the nation's labor unions.
http://www.slate.com/id/2193389/
Excerpt:
In researching my book, I was surprised to learn that the United States is the only industrial nation that doesn't guarantee its workers any paid vacation at all—which explains why, amazing as it may sound, one in four workers in the private sector doesn't receive any. In the 27 nations of the European Union, by contrast, workers are guaranteed at least four weeks off. (In France, most receive six weeks.) The United States is also the only industrial nation that doesn't guarantee paid sick days to its workers, and as a result, nearly 60 million workers—43 percent of middle-class workers and 77 percent of low-wage workers—don't get any, according to the Institute for Women's Policy Research. (The Family and Medical Leave Act allows for 12 unpaid weeks off if an employee—of a company with 50 or more workers—is sick or has to care for a spouse, child, or parent.)
According to a study of 173 nations worldwide, the United States is one of just four that does not provide paid maternity leave. The others are Swaziland, Liberia, and Papua New Guinea. That's not the usual company we keep.
You need to work more days so you can make more money to pay your tax bills. The company needs you to work more so they can pay their bills. The government needs you both to work more and make more money so we can send our monthly payments to the chinese and overseas investors who we owe like $9 trillion dollars to.
Now you can get back to work you government/corporate/chinese slave because your business, government and China wants your hard earned dollars.  |
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 1:40 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Demeralda schreef:
If this country is so great, why don't we get any vacation?
At my first company, it was a miracle -- all of our clients were German and French, so by association WE didn't have any work all summer. That was when I first realized how short-changed we are. We work just as hard -- harder, in fact! -- and our quality of life decreases.
What gives? Why have we become a country of automatons and slaves to our corporate masters... who are supposed to be shareholders just like us! Where did this crew get together and decide that vacation was bad for all of America?
Oh, I KNOW! The rich guys decided they weren't getting rich fast enough with all these lazy workers who want days off for stupid things like... kids with chicken pox!
My former employer - GM retiree - gave me 5 weeks paid vacation a year. I could take it one day at a time, all 5 weeks at once, however i wanted to. Except for one of the July shut-down weeks, though - one week went for that. The 2nd week was paid by our former 5 "personal days off".
Our daughter is currently on maternity leave. She stocked shelves at Kroger's.
If you want Government mandated time off, large corporations will either cut pay or raise prices to make up for it. small businesses may be unable to do that & just go under. If the government pays for it, are you ready for higher taxes to finance it? |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 1:46 pm |
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Demeralda
F L I N T O I D
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You betcha. Methinks it will pay for itself, seriously.
Lower stress leads to all sorts of good outcomes, particularly in straining the health system.
That's the obvious benefit, though there are dozens more, I'm sure.
If everyone has to do it, I would think all the costs would offset one another. |
_________________
I'm no model lady. A model's just an imitation of the real thing. - Mae West |
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 2:03 pm |
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squash
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
The whole summer off with pay ??? who the hell ya think ya are a school teacher living off the taxpayers Wink Laughing Laughing
I have a feeling this line was meant to rile me up. You couldn't have timed it better. I just finished closing up the classroom and I'm off to the ball field for a t-ball game. We have a summer of vacations, barbecues and family time scheduled. Thanks tap for all those tax dollars. Us lazy, tax whore teachers really appreciate it. |
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:39 pm |
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Public D
F L I N T O I D
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:45 pm |
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Demeralda
F L I N T O I D
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| Hey, what are you doing with my ouroboros tat?? |
_________________
I'm no model lady. A model's just an imitation of the real thing. - Mae West |
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:48 pm |
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Public D
F L I N T O I D
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 3:54 pm |
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twotap
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
I have a feeling this line was meant to rile me up. You couldn't have timed it better. I just finished closing up the classroom and I'm off to the ball field for a t-ball game. We have a summer of vacations, barbecues and family time scheduled. Thanks tap for all those tax dollars. Us lazy, tax whore teachers really appreciate it.
Your welcome Squash. Actually you should thank Demeralda since she brought it up with her "why cant I have the 3 months off" question. Yours was the Only profession that comes to mind.
quote:
You betcha. Methinks it will pay for itself, seriously.
Lower stress leads to all sorts of good outcomes, particularly in straining the health system.
That's the obvious benefit, though there are dozens more, I'm sure.
Hey Lbjs great society created thousands of public housing dwellers who get the whole friggin year off, paid maternity leaves, no clocks to punch, no bosses on their ass, no pesky vacation forms to turn in, maybe we could model a new plan after that since they sure dont seem to be stressed.  |
_________________
"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times. |
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 4:50 pm |
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Deena
F L I N T O I D
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I wonder how the rest of the world does it and still manages to take our jobs...
How many years did it take you Dave to earn those 5 weeks? In BC, the minimum vacation is 2 weeks for a first year employee. My SIL is a nurse with plenty of seniority (though much of it part-time). She gets 11 weeks a year. |
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Thu Jun 12, 2008 9:30 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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1 week after 1 year
2 weeks after 10
3 weeks after 15
4 weeks after 20
The 5th week was a week added to everyone in a new contract. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Fri Jun 13, 2008 7:15 am |
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