Ever wonder where little countries like, oh, France ... the USA and most of Europe ... , got the idea that making people work longer before they retire, ... or laying off government employees ... was just what the doctor ordered in a recession, with unemployment riding high? Wait. Does that sound 100 percent loose-screw, squirrel-nest nuts to anybody else?
Well, then, doesn't the opposite make sense, then? Early retirement, shorter hours ... won't these other things free up a little more J.O.B. for the rest of us? It worked in Germany, where unemployment dropped - that right, dropped - due to government encouragement to employers to reduce hours instead of laying off workers. So France is inching that direction now, though most economies are a mixed bag (you'll see Germany and France on both the naughty and nice lists above).
So, since it's good for workers, it's no big surprise that most corporate media pundits frown on it, and maintain the refrain that we must screw the workers and increase unemployment. So sorry, but we have to - they say.
You see, retirement - pensions, Social Security - are baaad. Everybody knows, has known since I was a youngster at my first job, seven days a week, 12 hours on Saturday, no overtime, for $3.25 an hour, that Social Security was a big zit about to pop at any moment. Bunk. All bunk. Don't believe the bunk.
Reverse course: we need a shorter work week!
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