The Work Less Institute of Technology will conduct a study circle on Wednesday, April 27, begining at 6:00 p.m. at SFU Harbour Centre. We will meet in front of the entrance at 515 West Hastings Street. The topic for discussion will be sustainability and the reduction of work time. Our discussion is timed to co-incide with a debate on sustainability amongst the three "subjectively most electable" BC political parties. That event is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.
There are two short pieces that I would urge people to read before the event. "Why hard work isn't working any more" by Sharon Beder and a review of Anders Hayden's book, Sharing the Work, Sparing the Planet. By Eugene Coyle.
The following quote from another article by Anders sums up the general idea:
"Much of the work we do today feeds unsustainable forms of production that are damaging the planet. But many people fear that measures to scale back environmentally-destructive work will generate unemployment and inflict suffering on working people and their families. We need measures that respond to these understandable fears, but it is also worth pointing out the liberating potential of a transition to less wasteful, ecologically-sound ways of living. With the right societal supports, such a transition could reduce the amount of toil required of us in the job system, and open up time to pursue those activities -- including creative work under our own control -- that we truly desire." -- Anders Hayden, author Sharing the Work, Sparing the Planet
The Sandwichman's 2 minute election spot for Shaw TV. Point Grey candidates' spots will air on Shaw Cable 4, Saturday May 7 at 1:00 p.m. and again Saturday May 14 at 8:30 a.m.:
The Work Less Party advocates a 32-hour, 4-day work week. Some of you may wonder if that’s practical. Can I afford to work fewer hours? What will happen to the economy?
Thousands already work fewer hours. In addition to 160,000 unemployed in BC, a similar number are either underemployed or have given up looking for work. Others juggle two or more part-time jobs or rely on unsteady contract work to make ends meet
The customary full-time job is becoming the exception. People who have one feel pressured to work extra hours -- an average of nearly two and and a half million hours a week in 2004, more than half of them with no overtime pay.
Those dysfunctional working hours take their toll in lower wages, higher work-related expenses and non-stop blandishments to escape the stress through the compulsive consumption of “stuff.”
Meanwhile, “stuff” is destroying the environment. We squander resources and spew out tons of greenhouse gas to make and ship those trinkets we have to be cajoled to buy, half way around the world.
Our economy is intoxicated with overwork, hurtling down the highway of stress in the Hummer of overconsumption.
More than eighty years ago, Stephen Leacock offered his answer to what he called the “unsolved riddle of social justice.” Leacock’s advice remains as timely today as ever:
“The shortening of the general hours of work, then, should be among the primary aims of social reform. Hitherto we have been caught in the running of our own machine: it is time that we altered the gearing of it.”