Average American works 350 more hours in a year than a European!

I found this out today and couldn't believe it!! How could this be, how much holidays do Americans get? In Ireland everyone is entitled to a minimum of 21 days plus 9 bank holidays aswell so that 30 days, 6 weeks holidays. The average worker does a 35-40 hour week. What's the average working week in the states?

 

I'm sure the number of holidays are even lower in Japan.

 

I protest by doing a crappy job.

 

40 hrs a week, 50 weeks a year is usually whats expected around my parts (NJ), unless your a teacher, but then your forced to survive off spam and rice for the 3 summer months.

 

the pay is going down too... more work, less workers, less pay, in the united states...

 

I do my part by working around 20 hours per week.......my own business


My european wife was surprised when she got a job at a corporation here and got ZERO paid vacation for one year...it is pretty ridiculous really, europe is definitely way ahead in many respects

 

I'm doing my part by working when I feel like it and living in a tree (think I'm kidding?).

 

haha, homer said somehting along these lines

Homer: Lisa, when grown ups aren't happy with work they don't strike they just go in an do a half assed job, that's the American way!

 

I've always said that there should be a mandatory minimum of 4 weeks paid vacation a year for all full time US employees. If mandated by law it would cause a slight economic downturn for a little while, but ultimately people would be more productive and less stressed out on the job. I have to wait a year myself before I get any PTO and also if I were to ask for a week off that was not paid between now and then, it would be highly frowned upon.

 

I'm still shocked about it though, years ago people would've fobbed it off by saying that salaries in the US are higher but that's not even the case anymore, plus we get more benefits like healthcare, free education (including universtiy), across the board child benefit and loads of other stuff. Do the trade unions over there not fight for more holidays and less hours?

 

There really isn't a lot of Union influence in this nation anymore at all. The Super Rich and the Government consider Unions and all of the benefits you listed above bad for the economy, so they are not supported well enough here. These people though represent 5% of the nation and control 95% of the wealth and take benefits and time off of work to be with family etc for granted. Wealthiest nation in the world, but only for 5% of its population. Its really pathetic

 

That sucks, Unions are very important, lets remember Trad Unions are the people who brought you the weekend, before trade unions people didn't get any days off. It's a sad state of affairs in America if that's the way things have gone.

 

even europe's politics are taking swings to the right... hell unions are losing power all over the world. in canada they legislated teacher's back to work as 'essential services' last year... taking away people's right to strike like that is fucking retarded.

 

America needs to pay their workers with lower and lower wages because of all the corporations in this country that do not pay taxes.. Bushco needs to make their money somehow.