I wish I worked in Europe: Germans get 1 month off?
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I wish I worked in Europe: Germans get 1 month off?
Looks like my vehicle is delayed for a month because Porsche closes the factory in August. Ughh... European Union....Ughhh..
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Folks, please get your facts straight before making broad sweeping statements.
Countries are not bankrupt because of their holiday entitlement.
And thanks to certain unnamed countries, the likes of Iceland are bankrupt through not fault of their own.
People around the world actually do have a life, and the month off in certain manufacturing sectors in European countries has its roots elsewhere.
This has nothing to do with the EU.
l implore you to research this for yourselves.
Countries are not bankrupt because of their holiday entitlement.
And thanks to certain unnamed countries, the likes of Iceland are bankrupt through not fault of their own.
People around the world actually do have a life, and the month off in certain manufacturing sectors in European countries has its roots elsewhere.
This has nothing to do with the EU.
l implore you to research this for yourselves.
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Except that you would have to pay 50% in taxes. Oh wait, that is what I pay.
Last edited by windboat; Jul 15, 2013 at 12:22 PM.
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You are correct that the holiday entitlement is not the sole reason many of the European countries are bankrupt, but the general sense of entitlement in those countries and the extensive social programs provided by the governments are the primary reason they are bankrupt. Governments got too large and promised too many benefits that they could not afford, and failure to promote pro growth policies led to high unemployment. The bond vigilantes came in and said to the government, we are not buying your bonds at these low rates, so rates in many countries rose to unsustainable levels resulting in bailouts by the ECB and IMF.
Germany is doing best of all the EU countries, because they have a decent working-attitude. In some countries workers start striking for the most rediculous reasons. Mostly because of workers unions. Nothing of that in Germany. Of course they complain too, but they go to work and know that there will be better times if you keep working hard for it, instead of whining and complaning and striking all the time.
Last year Ford decided to close a factory in Belgium after they had promised that they would produce cars untill 2016 in that factory. They kept the factory in Germany operational, despite the announcement two years earlier to close that factory. I understand why they took that decision. If you have a choice between workers that strike 25% of the time or workers that are a bit more expensive but work much harder, than it's an easy decision.
That is exactly what is happening in some European countries. The EU is something that will never reach their original targets of levelling the economies of all countries that take part. It's impossible. You can't level countries like Germany with for example Slovenia. 28 countries... 28 different importances... 28 different economies. Etc... Etc....
Smartest country I think is Switzerland. They don't take part in EU so they can make their own rules. (Don't say that because I happen to live in Switzerland. It's a well known fact)
Back on-topic:
It's, as far as I know, a very old tradition to have 3 or 4 weeks holiday in the summer. I think it comes originally from the building construction industry. Although I'm not completely sure....
In some industries they are getting paid while having holiday, in other industries they don't get paid, but get more salary so they can save for the unpaid days.
Suzy991
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Just finished watching the latest Top Gear. They took a 458, MP4 and R8 V10 to Spain. Usual silliness with the cars, but what amazed me is how bad things appear to be in Spain. 25%+ unemployment? 57% unemployment among youth. wow
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This is true of London too, they wanted nothing to do with the Euro and having to deal with 28 different economies, opinions, and headaches . . . You can't get 5 countries to agree on anything, so why did they think could get 28 to agree?? Why should EU all gather to fix the mess that Greece created for itself? And the list goes on . . .
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Sorry to keep the off-topic going. i just got back from almost two weeks in Spain. My wife has family there and they were explaining that there's not much of an incentive to work for a couple with two adult children living at home. All four get unemployment benefits which in Spain add up to a descent living, hence no reason to work. Curiously enough, youth that are well educated and want to work, are going to Germany to do so.
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I think that the introduction of the Euro back in 2002 did a lot of damage for most countries. They overrated the Euro compared to the dollar and now there are the drawbacks.....
I hope there will come a good solution, but personally I have my doubts.
Suzy991
Last edited by Suzy991; Jul 15, 2013 at 03:26 PM.
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Try France, the get even more time off. But all those countries except for Germany are bankrupt because of that kind of stuff.
Yes and in many German factories they are allowed to drink beer in the cafeteria during the work day.
In a good way! Nice to read how they look at us over here 