Bills introduced in both the House and Senate last week if approved would change the United States to a six day week, eliminating Mondays.
Advocates of the legislation including a large contingent of Monday critics are set to lobby for the legislation which they claim will have far reaching positive effects on American society.
Some of the advantages they cite are:
- A shorter work week resulting in better worker morale and enthusiasm.
- Elimination of Monday, consistently rated by the American public as the worst day of the week.
- “Hump Day” would no longer be required as we would be either moving into the work week or winding it down.
- Seven percent less work days during the year, 243 vs 260 resulting in 7% more jobs available.
- Less hydrocarbon consumption, air pollution and wasted time through the elimination of 7% of workday rush hours.
- 17% more weekend days, 122 vs 104, resulting in more leisure time and increased recreational and tourism jobs.
- 18 more Sundays during the year meaning people will attend church and synagogue more often resulting in a more educated and pious religious population, plus more church revenue.
Opponents of the shorter week have cited numerous problems with the concept including “it’s change, and we’re against that”, and “it wasn’t my idea so I’m against it”.
The legislation is being promoted by the grass roots movement Occupy Couches Everywhere (OCE) which favors the shorter week primarily because of the increased leisure time. Other supporters include The Amalgamated Tourism Workers Union (ATWU) citing more tourism jobs, and the Professional Organization of English Majors (POEM) who cite the increased availability of leisure time increasing the demand for literature of all types.
Critics include Coffee producers who are afraid a sharp decline in coffee consumption will accompany the reduction in work days. Drug companies also oppose the measure due to its potential impact on anti-depressive drug sales as people find out there is life outside of the workplace after all.
Politicians are generally lining up along party lines with Republicans opposing the legislation mainly because of its potential impact on contributions from big corporations due to the reduced number of work days, and Democrats favoring the concept for its populist appeal and the increased free time for citizens to volunteer for political campaigning. Some independents and third party politicos are pushing to make the legislation retroactive to the first of the year which would result in a windfall of as many as 18 weekend days in 2011. Yet to be worked out is the issue of who would be available to run the stores for holiday shopping.
If the legislation is adopted here in the US, countries around the world are expected to follow suit and adopt the shorter week in order to demonstrate that their intelligence is at least equal to or better than that of the United States.
Debate will begin sometime next week according to House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
