Hi, Surprisingly a comment I posted to this businessweek blog story was not moderated down:
http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/economicsunbound/archives/2009/06/a_lost_decade_f.html << A Lost Decade for Jobs Posted by: Michael Mandel on June 23 Private sector job growth was almost non-existent over the past ten years. Take a look at this horrifying chart: Between May 1999 and May 2009, employment in the private sector sector only rose by 1.1%, by far the lowest 10-year increase in the post-depression period. [...] >> And there was one interesting reply concerning USA history: << Laurent GUERBY June 23, 2009 06:16 PM A data point: from OECD, employment rate from 2000 to 2007 - Men aged 25-54 France 87.1 to 88.3 = +1.2 USA 89.0 to 87.5 = -1.5 - Women aged 25-54 France 69.6 to 76.1 = +6.5 USA 74.2 to 74.5 = +0.3 - Both sexes aged 25-54 France 78.3 to 82.1 = +3.8 USA 81.5 to 79.9 = -0.6 Note: "35 hours" work week laws were passed in 1998 and 2000 in France with delayed application in time. >> << Brandon W June 23, 2009 07:01 PM Laurent, Thank you for that data. Kellogg's (foods) implemented "short" work weeks during the Depression and it served to improve overall employment levels in Battle Creek, Michigan and reduced the impact on the region as a whole. More employed people meant more people able to purchase things. I've been a fan of the shortened work week for a while now. There are various ways it could be implemented. One advantage France has over the U.S. is that all citizens have solid health care coverage, regardless of their employment status. More Americans would certainly opt to work part time jobs if they had health care coverage for their families. I have known many co-workers over the years (mostly female) who ended up spending almost everything they made on day-care for their kids and the costs of going to work; they only worked for the health insurance. >> Sincerely, Laurent _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
