On the front page of the Province, "A horror story", chronicling tales of leaky condos and condo rot. On the editorial page, a cartoon -- "taking the high road on Hepatitis C" -- picturing a ghoulish Prime Minister Chretien stilt-walking over the grasping, agonized bodies of victims. Next to the cartoon, an editorial extolling the virtues of ending the 4-day week at city hall because "rightly or wrongly" people believe city staff have it easy. City Manager Ken Dobell's administrative report on the 4-day week contained scant analysis or documentation to back up his recommendation. Not to worry. In the view of the Province editorial, "It's been demonstrated beyond debate that four-day weeks cost more money." Yeah? Then isn't it also "beyond debate" that condos don't leak and people can't get hepatitis from blood transfusions? The Province editorialist no doubt knows a lot less about labour costs than the Red Cross knows about blood or building developers know about leaks. I'd bet my computer the editorialist couldn't even read a labour costing spreadsheet, let alone program one. Is that the kind of insight and critical acumen those of us who pay taxes want defending OUR MONEY? Two weeks ago in Toronto I gave a seminar on "Bargaining for Better Times." Lo and behold! The fabled "excess cost" of a four-day week is a myth. It's a myth staunchly defended by the refusal to simply DO THE MATH. Why? Because "it's been demonstrated beyond debate." The supposed high cost of a reduced work week is right up there with the two-digit computer year code as one of the great money saving short-cuts of the millennium. The sad part is that the Province editorialist has no more to gain from bashing civic inside workers than a racist skin head does from beating some poor soul to death. This is not only unreasonable, it is the foulest sort of deliberate ignorance that bellows its pride about doing the *mean* thing, "rightly or wrongly." THE 4-DAY WORK WEEK The Province, April 29, 1998 "Rightly or wrongly, the belief is out there is [sic] that government workers have it easy, compared with those of us in private industry. "There is the perception they do less work, get more holidays and enjoy more perks -- from better pensions to free parking -- than those of us who pay their salarlies through our taxes. "So we salute Vancouver city manager Ken Dobell's recommendation to do away with the four-day work week for city hall's inside workers. "True, during those four days, these civil servants work slightly longer hours. "It's been demonstrated beyond debate that four-day weeks cost more money -- in this case, that's YOUR MONEY. "Most working stiffs in B.C., including the city's outside employees, have to spend five days on the job to earn their pay. "The city's inside workers should too. This is not unreasonable." Regards, Tom Walker ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Vancouver, B.C. [EMAIL PROTECTED] (604) 669-3286 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The TimeWork Web: http://www.vcn.bc.ca/timework/
