"Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline"

"Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (Full Version)

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Vendaval -> "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (5/31/2008 2:00:40 PM)
"Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" By Andrea Hopkins Thu May 29, 4:07 PM ET "CHANGING HABITS Some 44 percent of respondents said they have changed the way they commute -- doing things such as sharing a ride or driving a more fuel-efficient car -- or are working from home or looking for a closer job in order to reduce gasoline costs, according to staffing services company Robert Half International. That's up from 34 percent two years ago. On New York's Long Island, Suffolk County legislator Wayne Horsley also has proposed employees have the option of working four 10-hour shifts, rather than five eight-hour shifts, saying it would save 461 barrels of oil in a 120-day pilot project. "This is a gasoline-driven proposition and we're looking to change people's long term philosophies of life," Horsley said. The program, termed Operation Sunshine, will cut gasoline costs for workers who drive an average round trip of 32 miles to work. It also aims to cut the county's energy bill by having fewer employees in the office at a time, Horsley said." http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080529/us_nm/usa_workweek_dc;_ylt=AitLpQHN3Cj.7B6Y52VG0MJH2ocA

Hippiekinkster -> RE: "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (5/31/2008 2:40:25 PM)
So?

soul2share -> RE: "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (5/31/2008 2:50:05 PM)
State of Arizona employees are doing this very same thing. They are trying to promote teleworking....if you can do your job with just a computer, then heck, they'll let you do it at home once a week! We just started back on our 4 10 hr work week....one of the girls that I work with lives way out in Buckeye.....I jokingly tell her she lives in East LA. But by going back to our old schedule, it will save her 3 round trips, and now her and her hubby can carpool two times a week. That's 186 miles a week! I'm sure the move will also save the state $$$ on gas...they seem to give a state car to just about anyone who asks for one. I bought a scooter...150cc's...I pay about 6-7 bucks a week for gas. I'm seriously thinking about NOT getting a car simply based on the price of gas. The scooter serves me well, and if I should need to use a car for something, I can borrow one. I also use my bike and the bus to get around....mainly for the exercise. People all over the valley seem to be looking at other options to save gas. I also moved closer to work myself.

TheHeretic -> RE: "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (5/31/2008 3:07:32 PM)
The 4x10 schedule is something I'm normally all in favor of, but... It's a county office I see. I wonder if the savings will still add up the same way if we factor in all the people who have to make a second trip when the office they need to visit is closed? No birth certificates on Mondays, no building permits on Friday. These are supposed to be public servants. They want to save on gas? Here is a crazy idea, how about putting them on a 3x14 schedule and split the week? Imagine being able to do what you need to from 6 am - 8 pm, M-S.

Asherdelampyr -> RE: "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (5/31/2008 3:12:18 PM)
its possible that they are on a split schedule, 1/2 work mondays but not fridays, 1/2 work fridays but not mondays I work 12 hour days, I have 2 days a week always off, and 5 off every other week, so in a 2 week period I make 7 round trips total... since we are split, there is another person here every day im off, and we stay open 24/7

Vendaval -> RE: "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (5/31/2008 3:46:41 PM)
Fast reply - I do favor 4 days at 10 hours each rather than being at the office 5 days in a row. The idea that half work Monday-Thursday and the other half work Tues-Friday to cover essential government services is a good solution. (I remember when the California DMV started shutting down on Mondays and frustrating motorists.) Being able to work from home on backlogged paperwork can be more productive if some of the usual workplace distractions are absent. This is of course, subject in change in the circumstances of persons watching young unmentionables. (format edit)

ownedgirlie -> RE: "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (5/31/2008 10:48:05 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Vendaval I do favor 4 days at 10 hours each rather than being at the office 5 days in a row. I do, too. At my last job, I typically worked 10 hour days anyway, so cutting to 4 days would mean a day off! I have friends whose employers support working from home 1 or 2 days a week now, as well.

christine1 -> RE: "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (6/1/2008 6:55:07 AM)
i'd love to switch to a 4 day work week, it would save me about 40 bucks a month in gas...that adds up when there are lots of people doing it. it would be nice for the 3 day weekend too...[;)]

Termyn8or -> RE: "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (6/1/2008 7:41:11 AM)
It depends on the job. When it comes to manufacturing, when hours go up productivity goes down. Even the most dedicated employees tend to run out of steam. That's why many shops used to use three shifts of eight hours instead of two shifts of twelve. But that was back when it didn't cost quite as much to take on an employee. Most manufacturing concerns in this country, unless they are large, are hiring through temporary agencies now. Anyway, some jobs are doable for ten hours instead of eight. Some are too strenuous. It is such a known fact that productivity (by the hour) is reduced when more hours are worked by a person that I see no need to cite anything here. But which is cheaper ? Paying some overtime or hiring on more people ? But then that is not the OT, the OT is going to the four day work week. I believe some countries have done that. If it works for them it can work for us, in certain jobs. A buddy of mine was offered four tens, he is in HVAC at a university. Problem is they wouldn't give him days. But we did talk about it. He lives on the west side and works on the east side. Whether to use public transportation came up. The bus pass is X amount and takes XX minutes to get there. Parking costs X but in a car it takes X to get there. Now we get into just how much your time is worth. To you. T

Quivver -> RE: "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (6/1/2008 8:09:27 AM)
I've always been a fan of 4 10's but many companies couldnt wrap their minds around the idea. I've been fortunate enough to convince a couple to let me design my own hours and it's worked well. Even when it was a labor intensive. If more employers opted for a change I think it would be far reaching and possibly even help the traffic conjestion by ealier start or end times. Over the years (ok my years and i'm old) I've seen stores that closed on Sundays or close at 6pm now open 24 hours a day. Seems this could be a push for employers to step up to todays world. I know it does save me a boat load in Gas.

soul2share -> RE: "Workers shifting to 4-day week to save gasoline" (6/1/2008 2:48:11 PM)
Christine, that 3 days off is GR-R-R-R-R-R-REAT! We had to go to 5 8's because of staffing issues, but switched back once we got the last person hired on as full time. Our police assistants are on 4-10's, but our cops are on 5 8's because of staffing and committments that the State keeps piling on them. The cops are totally jealous! Agencies and offices here that are on the 4-10's stagger people so service isn't interrupted or lessened. Same with the private sector businesses. And actually, with the 4-10 hour shifts, they can actually stagger times to have an overlap of personnel at peak business times. This works well when offices are open beyond the normal 8-5 hours. As far as the questions as to whether paying OT is cheaper than paying a salary....I often thought it'd be cheaper to hire someone, until someone else pointed out the cost of the benefits that the employer has to pay. That makes paying the OT cheaper. When I worked for the Buffalo PD, their OT budget for the department was 5 million dollars.......for 1 year. Paying all the OT was more cost effective than hiring more officers. But what the bean counters don't figure in was the burnout rate from all the OT that was forced upon the officers to maintain minimum staffing requirements.....been there, done that, sent the effing t-shirt back! Same situation arose when I worked in Tulsa, OK......they wouldn't hire any more people in the Communications Section, but instead burned out their personnel...it was a normal pay period for me to work my regular 80 hours and then top that off with another 50-65 MORE hours in OT! Most of it was assigned.....you'd come into work and hope you left 8 hours later....but you never knew for sure how long you'd be there. I had a period of time where I had to use public transportation...HATED IT! What was a normal 20 minute ride to work became a 2 hour one-way nightmare. Now that I've moved closer to work, the buses run in a manner more convenient to me, so I'll ride them more now. Even with the increased bus fares, it is still cheaper to ride the bus. State employees get a subsidized bus pass, so we're only paying about 62% of the cost of the bus ride, and there's no way driving is cheaper than that! I have noticed that the buses are a lot more crowded during rush hour......standing room only in a lot of the express buses that pass me. And there are alot more motorcycles, scooters and bicycles out in traffic now. Every little bit helps.

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