4 day week

[Fandangoes]

Apologies if someone has already started a thread about this, I did check but couldn't see one.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a good work / life balance but how on earth can SNP promise to introduce a 4 day working week for everyone, on the same pay and expect private businesses to accommodate that? Especially when so many businesses are fighting to survive coming out of this pandemic.

How is this supposed to work?

It would probably work for some areas of the NHS surely?

For some but completely the minority. Things like maybe purchasing/finance/audit. Most other roles have some degree of "customer" impact even if it's just taking calls about appointments etc. however an amount of those types of roles could be automated and/or centralised meaning savings could be made - that's not really about the 4 day week though.

There would have to be a complete shake up of the shift work times which impacts ward handovers/ambulance services etc and then you have day services which would have to be open slightly longer for fewer days, open less time over 5 days or open the same times but with less staff or a combination of all. Though I believe a reasonable number of NHS staff already have contracted reduced hours but then they take a pay cut to do so.

Well maybe these are some of the issues that can be hashed out in a trial

The negativity on here. Jeeso.

@Fandangoes

On a purely selfish basis if my boss said to me do you want to work 4 days for the same money of course I would say yes and I know I could do my job over 4 days without impacting the business. But I’m not selfish and it’s not difficult to see that this wouldn’t be any help to far too many people and there are much better ways to improve life for more of those most in need

And if your boss said that of course you could do 4 days a week, but for 80% of your salary that's a bit of a different conversation, isn't it?

Lots of people are already requesting flexible working to do compressed hours or to go part time. Changing the rules so that companies have to seriously consider the applications a bit more would be positive, perhaps.

DH is considering asking to go 4 days a week with NHS as he is nearing 60 and does a very physical job. Patients are becoming heavier all the time and he is a fit man but it's taking it's toll on his back and shoulders. However his NHS pension is already shit and he's concerned it will affect the final salary element of it.

There is no way he can do that job until he is 67 (or 65 tbh).

@forfucksakenett it's absolutely the right time for beleaguered businesses trying to recoup what they've lost through coronavirus to have the introduction of an ill thought through election pledge. Did you call the teaching staff negative too when it was announced with no notice that all secondary pupils would go back but social distancing had to be maintained ?

I'm not saying it's a bad idea, it just seems woefully mistimed. As a higher rate tax payer I already pay more than I would in England, and I personally sacrifice salary because I want to work a 4 day week and because the extra would mostly go on tax anyway.

This is really not the time for grand misplaced gestures. Make sure coronavirus is gone for good, get the economy back to some even keel and focus on making up the education deficit for students over the past year. These should be the priorities and more than enough to keep any government busy.

It's not an ill thought out election pledge. It's a trial.

And actually I think it's a pretty good time. Lots of companies are re-evaluating how they do business off the back of home working etc.

Make sure coronavirus is gone for good,

"For good"? Is that even possible?

I don’t think it’s a hugely radical idea given that UBI was being considered not too long ago, in fact it would be nuts (post Covid) not to bring in changes to the amount of time spent mixing with others in the workplace, which is what I assume it must be related to. Unfortunately, as a pp said, the proposal is badly timed and therefore looks dubious in its sincerity and planning.

The party in power should be campaigning on what a wonderful job they have done so far

Parties that do this lose. Voters are not generally grateful. Look at Churchill post ww2 for the ultimate example.

Whatever you think of the SNP policy offer and track record, the thing that most annoys the opposition is their effectiveness electorally.

@beginningoftheend

The party in power should be campaigning on what a wonderful job they have done so far

Parties that do this lose. Voters are not generally grateful. Look at Churchill post ww2 for the ultimate example.

Whatever you think of the SNP policy offer and track record, the thing that most annoys the opposition is their effectiveness electorally.

Well there is nothing to be grateful for so I appreciate it will be hard to reference any success or even competence.

In your opinion @RedactedTaeFeck

@forfucksakenett

In your opinion *@RedactedTaeFeck*

Not just mine.

Whatever you think of the SNP policy offer and track record, the thing that most annoys the opposition is their effectiveness electorally.

To the point that every electoral communication I have had from other parties (at least the serious, unionist ones) has had nothing in the way of manifesto promises, commitments, or wishes. Just "Stop the SNP!" "Stop Indyfef2!". Unbelievably the leader of the Tory party in Scotland (who, on the last junk mail I got from him was pictured hiding behind a cut out of the previous leader because he is so totally forgettable) telling people to vote Labour!

They have nothing - other than "we'll do what we're told to do by the head office in London".

Not that there's any point in them sending me them any more - I've voted already.

All in favour of it but how will this work for our Dentists and G.P's ? We don't have enough of those to go round as it is. Where will the snp conjure up someone to cover ?

DH now does 4 days a week but finds it difficult as workload is still high.

I used to work 4 days a week in my early 20s and loved it but my job was easier!

My colleagues and I struggle with our workloads on 5 days a week. No amount of stating it changes the situation as on recruitment freezes due to economic situation. So it wouldn't be viable in my work.

I think it's a punchy manifesto line to entise rather than actually it happening you know like the promise to get rid of council tax system which went very quiet......