Would Minnesotans Approve of a Longer Work Week?

If you watch old TV shows from the 60’s and 70’s, the workday for most of those characters was 9-5, and it was a simpler, easier type society. In real life now, things move much faster now, and business hours range to later in the evening or night, including hours over the weekend.  

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Allowing customers to shop more on their schedule certainly fits around most everyone’s busy lives now. Between work and family responsibilities, sometimes it’s hard to find the time to do those things that “pop-up” unexpectedly. 

Speaking of working, there’s been a push over the last few years supporting a four-day work week. Those workdays would be ten hours long each, getting you to the magic forty-hour mark that has been set down for us.  

Some people love the idea, while others aren’t so crazy about the concept. Which brings me to the new movement that has been put into effect in Greece. Instead of fewer workdays, they’re recommending that some businesses move to a six day a week and forty-eight-hour work weeks.  

The Prime Minister of Greece says this new plan has some favor for workers while still allowing businesses to have the opportunity to grow. The “worker friendly” mindset says this will help workers who are not paid fairly for overtime work.  

The opposition to this plan stems from the fact that Greek workers already work long hours and now they’re being asked or forced to work more days, or to be available to work on weekends where they might not be now, and opponents say that is unfair.  

This plan is for companies who offer round the clock services, and they say workers “have the option” to work an additional two hours per day.  

CNBC says the proposal went into effect on July 1st and does not include food service or tourism workers in the optional additional work.  

Greece is the first country in the European Union to take this type of step, which supporters believe will help in elevating productivity and overall employment.  

Even though this is newly in place, you know that many eyes will be on this plan to see if there is any success with it or not.