As rise of Chinese e-commerce platforms adds to pressure, having Sundays off remains protected under Germany’s Basic Law

    • einkorn@feddit.org
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      3 days ago

      The exploitation happens mostly passively:

      • While technically nobody is forced to accept jobs that require working on Sundays most people are not in a position to negotiate such hard requirements.
      • Having a common mandatory day off is a quality of life improvement. Want to schedule a party with friends? The vast majority of people have Sunday off.
      • gian
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        2 days ago
        While technically nobody is forced to accept jobs that require working on Sundays most people are not in a position to negotiate such hard requirements.
        

        Maybe, but as far as I know, Sundays are paid more. And normally is not every Sunday, you alternate with your coworkers.

        Having a common mandatory day off is a quality of life improvement. Want to schedule a party with friends? The vast majority of people have Sunday off.
        

        There already are people who work on Sundays/Holidays: they are paid more (the double in Italy, for example) and then they have a day off some other day in the week.
        And for the party with your friend you only need a little more planning, it is not impossible.

        • einkorn@feddit.org
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          2 days ago

          Maybe, but as far as I know, Sundays are paid more

          Do you think this stays the same as it now if Sunday becomes just a regular working day? I highly doubt it.

          There already are people who work on Sundays/Holidays

          Indeed there are. That’s why I wrote “the vast majority” and not “everyone”. Just because there are exceptions to the rule we shouldn’t simply abandon the rule, though.

          • gian
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            2 days ago

            Do you think this stays the same as it now if Sunday becomes just a regular working day? I highly doubt it.

            If it is a normal working day you somehow should be given a day off some other day (Monday for example).
            In this case I agree that probably you would not be paid more but on the other hand you still have your day off (and sometime it can be usefull to have the day off in the middle of the week). If they simply want to let places to be open also on Sunday then it is overtime and you can be paid more or earn an additional day of PTO.

            Indeed there are. That’s why I wrote “the vast majority” and not “everyone”. Just because there are exceptions to the rule we shouldn’t simply abandon the rule, though.

            Sure, but it not impossible to discusse about a rule change.

      • Pip@feddit.orgOP
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        3 days ago

        I send my personal shopper, so I’d don’t really know!

        Okay, so, the workers cannot choose which day to work on? Don’t they usually earn more on Sundays? What about the workers at restaurants and cafés - does your concern not extend to them?

        • _tasten_tiger@feddit.org
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          3 days ago

          Yeah that’s exactly what they want to get rid of, making Sunday a normal work day, no extra pay (if you even get some), just work work work

        • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
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          3 days ago

          They precisely earn more on a Sunday and on Saturday because it is normally a free day.

          By eliminating the work protection on those days, they also will take away those bonuses.

          And choosing which day to work? Good way of showing that you don’t really know how minimum wage workers are treated. No, you cannot really choose which day to work in a workweek setting. You might be able to talk to your colleagues and try to arrange things in that way, but good luck telling your boss “Nah I dont like your work schedule, I only work when I want to.” And again, this is exactly about removing the special protection of the weekend and trying to make it a normal part of the work week.

          • Pip@feddit.orgOP
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            2 days ago

            While I think that the premiums for weekends would remain even if shopping on Sundays becomes legal, I fully agree with you on the fact that low wage workers don’t have the power as individuals to decide freely when they will work.

          • gian
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            2 days ago

            but good luck telling your boss “Nah I dont like your work schedule, I only work when I want to.”

            Then you have a shitty boss anyway.