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Old 11-26-2010, 08:38 PM
 
27,625 posts, read 21,032,001 times
Reputation: 11091

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How did Germany become such a great place to work in the first place?

The Allies did it. This whole European model came, to some extent, from the New Deal. Our real history and tradition is what we created in Europe. Occupying Germany after WWII, the 1945 European constitutions, the UN Charter of Human Rights all came from Eleanor Roosevelt and the New Dealers. All of it got worked into the constitutions of Europe and helped shape their social democracies. It came from us. The papal encyclicals on labor, it came from the Americans.
"Were You Born on the Wrong Continent?": America's misguided culture of overwork - Nonfiction - Salon.com

Only many Americans are now too dumbed down to get it right again.
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Old 11-26-2010, 08:50 PM
 
Location: Sierra Vista, AZ
17,531 posts, read 24,607,807 times
Reputation: 9975
Quote:
Originally Posted by sickofnyc View Post
How did Germany become such a great place to work in the first place?

The Allies did it. This whole European model came, to some extent, from the New Deal. Our real history and tradition is what we created in Europe. Occupying Germany after WWII, the 1945 European constitutions, the UN Charter of Human Rights all came from Eleanor Roosevelt and the New Dealers. All of it got worked into the constitutions of Europe and helped shape their social democracies. It came from us. The papal encyclicals on labor, it came from the Americans.
"Were You Born on the Wrong Continent?": America's misguided culture of overwork - Nonfiction - Salon.com

Only many Americans are now too dumbed down to get it right again.
5 weeks vacation, 4 day work weeks, retirement at 62, isn't Socialism horrible

If their politicians can manage it, why can't ours?
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Old 11-26-2010, 08:52 PM
 
Location: Imaginary Figment
11,449 posts, read 14,422,244 times
Reputation: 4777
Better quality of life with a socialist country full of unions? Say it ain't so...
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Old 11-26-2010, 08:54 PM
 
9,408 posts, read 11,886,138 times
Reputation: 12439
I'd be more than happy to adopt their work system. I've been lobbying for it at work, although quite unsuccessfully. Then again, I'm one who passes on overtime every single time. I'd rather have the time off!
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Old 11-26-2010, 09:05 PM
 
Location: Earth
24,620 posts, read 28,196,400 times
Reputation: 11416
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boompa View Post
5 weeks vacation, 4 day work weeks, retirement at 62, isn't Socialism horrible

If their politicians can manage it, why can't ours?
37.5 hour work weeks, not 4 days.
They have something comparable to our unions called the "works council."

Americans forget who got them the 40 hour work week, ended child labor, provided health care and benefits.
With the erosion of the unions, hours went up and wages went down.

Go figure.

A few months ago, Harpers had a great article on the Works Council and the German standard of living.
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