| Flilix said: I've been hearing mixed things about these 4-day work weeks. It was proposed here in Belgium by the PS (socialist party), but an expert in labour economics said that it's absolutely unrealistic (unless people are willing to get lower wages and consume less). According to him, the academic world is almost unanimously opposed to it. He says that on the long term there would be a disastorous rise in wage costs and unemployment, because employers will either try to automate more or move to other countries. He also says that the number of burn-outs might stay the same anyways. |
Automation is a good thing as it reduces the amount of required labour.
As for companies moving to other countries, what’s stopping them from doing that now? Already they can get far cheaper labour in many other countries. If the field is well suited to the market and region, companies won’t move because of pricier labour.
I’m not sure which economists they’re citing, but it sounds like they have an avaricious agenda demanding cheap labour, long hours, and low investment only technological advancement. Historical disproves then, anyway. We have a history of improving automation and lowering work hours, and this has had a correlation with stronger democracy and stronger economy.
I describe myself as a little dose of toxic masculinity.
