It’s annoying. Every time I apply for a part time job, I still get stuck getting stiffed with 40 hours and sometimes more because we are “sHoRt StAfEd”. It’s getting in the way of my hobbies. 😭 I want to work out, play video games, smoke my weed, and learn how to whittle. Leave me alone.
In the 19th-early 20th century people worked 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, with no paid vacation, sick leave or holidays. Labor unions fought for the 8 hour day - 40 work week. Their slogan was 8 hours work, 8 hours personal time, 8 hours sleep.
If someone is really interested, here is a great article on the history of how we got to a 40 hour work week.
Teaser: It used to be a 70 hour work week! Then 60... and in 1933, the Senate passed, a bill to reduce the standard workweek to only 30 hours, which obviously didn't make it...
@Viper trucking is still a 70 hour work week. Electronic log books have limited it to that, no idea exactly how many hours it was before as I was scared to keep track
It would depend on which country but in the UK it came about through slow and often fractious negotiations between unions and business owners (state or commercial).
40 hours seems to have been standard for some decades but 38 or even 37 hours / week has been widespread for a while now; and often a bit nominal by flexi-time agreements (you need amass the monthly total of hours by working days with set core-hours with some flexibility before and after them).
As someone fairly recently retired from about 48 years total for several different employers, I can say I found the commuting often seemed the bigger chunk out of the working day even though far shorter than the work hours!
You mention how you relax but they not real hobbies needing effort, skill, time or commitment though...
I didn’t realize I need to list every hobby I had.
Also, video games and exercise (Kung fu) IS a hobby. So is whittling. I like to spend about 2 hours exercising in my day. But when I work, I’m lucky to get an hour. Kung fu, also requires time, effort, and skill. I’ve been doing it for a decade.
So blow it out your arse, man. You don’t get to decide what’s a “rEaL hObBy”.
I applied for PART TIME. Which is supposed to be under 35 hours. Unlike you people, I don’t need the money of full time work.
@666Maggotz I'm a pensioner so don;t have the luxury of full-time wages either :-)
I'll ignore the crudity but I did not decry the whittling or exercising (a version of which I need do on physiotherapist's orders.
I see elsewhere you explain the problem of trying to apply for part-time work when the employers use it as a fiddle. I'm surprised they are allowed to do that, but I suppose like all laws, employment ones have their loopholes. It seems a bit like the courier companies who were found to have hired van-drivers, given them ridiculously tight delivery schedules etc. then tell them they are not employees but self-employed contractors - again to avoid their own responsibilities to their staff.
@666Maggotz some places do four on four off pattern so you get longer weekend. The shifts are 12 hours. Often you have to switch between days and nights alternately though which i think would be tough
Nah, it was that way before. They hire you as part time, but give you full time hours. It’s their way of avoiding giving you benefits, vacation, etc. @caesar7
