[Vision2020] [Bulk] Washington state tries 4-day week to save money

[Glenn Schwaller]

I agree with you Jeff - there is no free lunch, and I would suggest it may
actually end up being less of a savings to all, overall.  40 hours of lights
on, computers running, heating and cooling is 40 hours regardless of whether
it's 4 days or 5 days so I don't buy the energy savings there.  In fact
during the short days of winter, the lights come on earlier and stay on
later, so you may even be using MORE energy.

"You have four days worth of filling the trash cans and dirtying the
bathrooms, instead of five, so you might not need quite as large of a
janitorial staff."  Assuming this is true, we can now celebrate our savings
by laying off some of the janitorial staff - presumably those who really
need the income!  Nice.

"Employees that commute to work save a day's round-trip worth of gas each
week.  If you commute farther than Moscow/Pullman, that adds up quick."
Maybe, but my guess is with an "extra" day to do stuff, instead or running
into town and parking and working, they run into town and then run from here
to there to everywhere using up even more gas and contributing to those
horrible greenhouse gases.  Or they don't come into town so that's one day
less of shopping after work and the local business take a hit.  Great.

More employee efficiency?  Hmmmm . . .  after the 3rd 10 hour day I'm
betting for a fair number of people productivity goes way down as the
anticipation of a 3 day break looms and the toil of 30 plus hours in 3 days
takes it's physical and psychological toll.

This idea is nothing more than a swine in lip balm.

GS





> Glenn Schwaller wrote:
>
>>  "Feeling the pinch of soaring energy costs, and with a projected budget
>> deficit on the horizon . . .  (Govenor) Gregoire said Wednesday officials
>> would meet next week to work out how they'll implement the planned four
>> 10-hour days . . ."
>>  Can someone explain how going to 4 10-hour work days is going to help
>> eliminate or even reduce by any margin whatsoever either the state budget or
>> energy cost / consumption ???  "Gregoire said the plan could help save money
>> by cutting electric consumption and janitorial costs at the offices, and
>> could have side benefits for the environment and traffic congestion by
>> keeping some commuters off the roads"   Uh huh.  The needle on my Acme
>> Stooopid Meter is all aquiver . . .
>>  GS
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