Nathan,
I agree with your expectation of an increase in productivity AFTER a
cut in hours. A lot of people arguing for a cut in hours, including myself,
often use a justice argument, saying that past productivity gains, without much
or any increase in conpensation, justify rewarding workers with a cut in hours.
But the historical record supports your view, that a cut in hours leads
to a jump in productivity. That's all to the good, for it then justifies a
follow-on cut in hours.
Gene
On Dec 28, 2011, at 5:56 PM, nathan tankus wrote:
> As a preface, it should be noted that I'm a complete and utter
> supporter of "shorter work weeks with no loss in pay".
> That said I think some of it's proponents overestimate how much of a
> "job creator" such a policy would be. Remember that the push to work
> people as hard (or harder) then they can possibly be worked (often
> during recessions) leads to some burnout productivity but ultimately
> leads to falls in productivity per hour that can only be marginally
> compensating by even steeper cuts in compensation (in fact the
> trendlines of changes in output per hour and the unemployment rate
> have a PERFECT correlation. see: http://goo.gl/Q6Rni). i suspect that
> an effective increase in wages per hour corresponding with an enforced
> cut in hours worked would lead to a large spike in productivity so
> that not many more workers would be needed to produce the same amount
> of output as before.
>
> Again, i certainly think it should be done (mainly because of the
> productivity, health and quality of life benefits) but i think it is
> not a very effective jobs program. it should be implemented along with
> a jobs program.
>
> --
> -Nathan Tankus
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