The Ecological Limits Of Work

[mushroom25]

A report by think tank Autonomy Group
http://autonomy.work/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/The-Ecological-Limits-of-Work-final.pdf
is being taken seriously by Labour, according to various sources
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7120817/Labour-plans-bring-10-hour-week-tackle-climate-change.html
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9253266/labour-work-cuts-pay-climate-change/

cutting the working week to 10 hours, and "save the planet" too? win-win situation all round, isn't it?

…..or would it - as according to labour's opponents - be a sure route to economic oblivion?

[agchristie]

When it comes to reading about anything involving the Economy and the Labour Party I completely despair.

Mr O'Donnell is part of the reason that the current Labour Party cannot be trusted to run this country.

[ToraToraTora]

so we work 10 hours for 75% less pay, are all the prices going down then? Sounds like Abacus has been in on this one!

[douglas9401]

I can't see politicians of any stripe approving a longer working week for themselves.

[retrocop]

Good grief. There are people out there who support these saboteurs ?

[agchristie]

^ yes,plenty! It's worrying that so many people are wired up wrongly retrocop...

[aelmpvw]

the plan's getting a big thumbs up from schoolkids ...

[youngmafbog]

This one really hasn't been thought through has it.

So we all join the poverty line, production drops and the UK economy tanks whist China, India and emerging countries work Lord knows how many hours and their economy grows(although wont be exporting to us of course!)

This has to be the biggest load of cobblers I have seen from any political Party, it's worthy of the Raving Loony Party.

[ToraToraTora]

YMB, I don't think even the Late Screaming Lord himself would have put this forward. It continues to amaze me how Labour have voters.

[naomi24]

Great idea! With only ten hours a week some who currently won't ... might even consider working. Why on earth does anyone vote for this motley crew!

[Gromit]

The robots are coming.
Humans need not apply.



We need to have a strategy for when humans are no longer needed in the workforce. I have not read Autonomy’s Report, but having no plan and just bumbling on is shortsighted.

[albaqwerty]

how many hours did it take for this think-tank to come up with this load of cobblers?

[Gromit]

McDonnell said the report was a contribution to the debate. He did not say he agreed with it all, or that it is Labour Policy. Just because they have not dismissed it out of hand, does not mean he backs it.


// This is a vital contribution to the growing debate around free time and reducing the working week. //

[agchristie]

Gromit, would you trust Mr O'Donnell with the countries Economy though?

[Gromit]

agchristie

I would not trust McDonnell because he is driven by Marxist dogma. I vehemently oppose nationalising the Railways which he is in favour of.

[agchristie]

Agreed Gromit...

(Why did I twice type O'Donnell duh!!)

[mushroom25]

//We need to have a strategy for when humans are no longer needed in the workforce.//

we are years away from that - if it ever happens. it is possible that everybody's supply chain could be automated, with delivery drones massing like a cloud of angry, bees emanating from fully automated warehouses, stocked by automated giant delivery trucks, and so on. none of this technology works first time every time, and no-one has yet developed a fault finding machine that can out-think a human technician. plus a fully automated supply chain is actually less efficient than a semi automatic supply chain. and that's just one aspect of living. machines may be able to harvest crops automatically in the future, but how will the machine be dug out of the mud when it gets stuck? aviation might well be a thing of the past in a few years but as long as it persists, human specialists will always be required - when Qantas 32 had its uncontained engine failure, no machine in existence could have landed the plane.

[youngmafbog]

"Robots are coming"

Yes they are, indeed in manufacturing they have been here a while.

However history has shown that when new technology comes in jobs change they dont go away.

It could be that working hours can be reduced but that will never be achieved unless the wages can be maintained. There are complaints of poverty already, take 75% off and there will be howls - and real starvation.

[youngmafbog]

"Just because they have not dismissed it out of hand, "

But why didnt he? It is clearly not viable.

[ludwig]

This is exactly why we're doomed. Drastic changes in our lifestyle are required to 'save the planet', but no-one is ever going to be prepared to take them.

Meanwhile over in India and China, they're really only just getting started.

[youngmafbog]

We dont need any changes to save the planet, just to save human existence (and maybe a few other species).

Mother nature has a tendency to deal with things when required and that is exactly what will happen. The planet will survive - until perhaps whopped by a big asteroid.