Questions to ponder
Technology has improved dramatically since the 70s, computers and chips are everywhere and in everything.
We were promised better goods at cheaper prices, and less work.
- If it saves us time, why do we work so many hours?
- If we can be more productive, why do we work so many hours?
- If we can be more productive, why do we not take vacations?
- If we can communicate more quickly, easily, cheaply, why do we talk less?
- If life is better with all this technology, who is it better for?
While the United States has kept production increasing all the time (making more money for corporations), it has not lead to a better lifestyle for the average American.
The "average" American:
- Working Hours:
Age: 24.1 hours per week for those aged 16–19
40.5 hours per week for those aged 25–54
- Vacation: 10 days of paid vacation after first year of work
- Work commute: 26 minutes one-way
Other countries (in the EU) work about the same hours, but vacation (HOLIDAY) is treated wildly different than in the United States.
Austria: 25 days of paid vacation plus 13 paid public holidays
France: 30 days of paid vacation
Spain: 25 days of paid vacation
United Kingdom: 28 days of paid vacation
Denmark: 25 days of paid vacation
Finland: 25 days of paid vacation
Norway: 25 days of paid vacation
We have not seen the gains from the extra production "trickle" down to the average American. This is terribly not fair. It is a global issue, corporations and the rich have been squeezing the average worker for 40 years and it shows in the statistics.