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This report (pdf, in French) has some interesting insights on the evolution of the number of hours worked in Germany vs latin countries (and France in particular).

It goes to show that annual work hours have been reduced the most in Germany, because employment growth, as it were, has taken the form of part-time precarious jobs paid less - GDP growth has been slightly better, but available revenue to employees has actually shrunk in Germany.

So the conclusion is simple - countries who give too much of the loot to workers must be punished.

Wind power

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Fri Jan 20th, 2012 at 12:02:43 PM EST
And it was reported today (where did i see it?) that Germany had the highest number of part-time workers ever. (these are workers who work on and off for a company that provides workers to other companies, so the actual company doesn't have to provide what is given to their own workers.)

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
by Crazy Horse on Fri Jan 20th, 2012 at 12:20:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Increase in GDP doesn't do a bunch of good for a nation's economy if it doesn't flow to the slobs who (1) do the work and (2) purchase 80% of the goods and services sold in that nation's micro-economy.

The fact is: an economy "is" a mutually supporting network of associations and relationships, fueled - in part - by the flow of money.  As parasites suck the money (grease that keeps the wheels turning) from the economy the network embrittles and then, if the process is not reversed, shatters.

by ATinNM on Fri Jan 20th, 2012 at 01:25:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]
That paper is in fact a robust rebuttal of the corporate/conservative think-tank Coe-Rexecode's attempt to prove that France's economic difficulties were all due to the socialist government of over ten years ago - in particular the 35-hour working week.

To be diaried.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Fri Jan 20th, 2012 at 01:04:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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