As part of his Labor Day message to workers in the United States, Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday re-upped his call for the establishment of a 20% cut to the workweek with no loss in pay—an idea he said is “not radical” given the enormous productivity gains over recent decades that have resulted in massive profits for corporations but scraps for employees and the working class.

“It’s time for a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay,” Sanders wrote in a Guardian op-ed as he cited a 480% increase in worker productivity since the 40-hour workweek was first established in 1940.

“It’s time,” he continued, “that working families were able to take advantage of the increased productivity that new technologies provide so that they can enjoy more leisure time, family time, educational and cultural opportunities—and less stress.”

  • MrBusinessMan@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    That’s simply not possible, I need my employees to be working more hours, not less. Last year I could barely afford my sailing trip to Aruba. If such a law passes I’m going to have to fire some people for sure or raise rents on my tenants.

    • LSNLDN@slrpnk.net
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      1 year ago

      I know this is sarcastic but I can’t help read it in my literal bosses voice, who didn’t give us Christmas bonuses but did fix the sail on his yacht immediately after a storm for like £20k or some bs

      • Rakonat@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yeah even knowing full well it was sarcasm couldn’t help but hear it in the voice of my boss, who is so delusional they constantly talk about rolling back my department, the only one that actually makes money, cause our wages are too expensive (spoilers, they aren’t, 1/10th of our staff is on food stamps but our boss can afford a new luxury car.)

        • teruma@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          That sounds like something that should be advertised, possibly permanently on the side of said car.

          • Rakonat@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Capitalism at work, record profits means checks notes. … more people than ever on welfare and increasingly impoverished working class… Huh

    • paddirn@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      You’ve already sacrificed so much, we can’t possibly ask you to sacrifice anymore. God, we’ve been so selfish talking about barely being able to afford rent or food to eat, when really we should’ve been thinking about how you felt about the whole thing. I’m so sorry we’ve inconvenienced you in any way. You know, go ahead and skip paying me for a bit and take that submarine trip on OceanGate you’ve always wanted to do, everyone has been talking so much about it lately.

    • s_s@lemmy.one
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      1 year ago

      If such a law passes I’m going to have to fire some people for sure or raise rents on my tenants.

      If gov’t intervention makes both those options impossible–might I suggest constant verbal and psychological abuse?