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Spiff's judgement about my political views is a bit distorted because everyone knows the French are ultra-lefties.
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Ecthy, and I see you have yet to do anything but BAM...
more than anything, I guess I'm disappointed... it's not all that often I get to discuss European politics, and so here we are in a thread about the German elections, and instead of a discussion about the specifics of the German economy and labor laws, you are just spouting political propaganda and rhetoric...
I'll check the thread maybe in a few days, who knows, maybe an actual discussion will break out!
To us, it is the BEAST.Comment
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Bored at home, Sava? Get a hobby.
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A last tribute
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Germany has lots of economic problems, but I think that it boils down to it having a lot of legacy industries, such as manufacturing, that have shed jobs, are shedding jobs, or desperately need to shed jobs. Meanwhile, Germany has too high of costs for hiring in the industries of tomorrow, so the growth in these industries is less than we might hope.
Having at-will employment would lower the costs for hiring somebody without lowering wages, so I would suggest instituting it. I realize that labor contracts are the normal way to do business in Germany, but that doesn't mean it has to be that way. You could even institute at-will employment only in the East, where the unemployment is the worst.
At-will employment works just fine. I've never had a labor contract in my life and don't consider myself materially worse off for that fact. It's in no way evil. Indeed, it goes both ways, in that I can jump ship from my job to a better paying job at the drop of a hat. I have seen employees jump ship on short notice a whole hell of a lot more than I have seen employees being fired on short notice, so I believe at-will employment to benefit workers more than employers.Last edited by DanS; October 11, 2005, 16:58.I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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It couldn't have happened to a better guy. Exit, stage left.Originally posted by Ecthy
A last tribute
I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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I've also warned you Germans about thinking that what has happened in the UK is some sort of economic miracle and things are so fantastic. Bear in mind just how much property costs compared to earnings, how labour has become casualised (and I have been a victim of this problem until relatively recently) and the vast improvements to our health service and public transport infrastructure have never materialised because of too many fat cats licking off the cream.
But on a side note, I always think that Schroeder seems like quite a laugh - the kind of man you could have a pint with down the boozer
Speaking of Erith:
"It's not twinned with anywhere, but it does have a suicide pact with Dagenham" - Linda SmithComment
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Isn't it possible to hire people at will in Germany? That'd surprise me.Originally posted by DanS
Germany has lots of economic problems, but I think that it boils down to it having a lot of legacy industries, such as manufacturing, that have shed jobs, are shedding jobs, or desperately need to shed jobs. Meanwhile, Germany has too high of costs for hiring in the industries of tomorrow, so the growth in these industries is less than we might hope.
Having at-will employment would lower the costs for hiring somebody without lowering wages, so I would suggest instituting it. I realize that labor contracts are the normal way to do business in Germany, but that doesn't mean it has to be that way. You could even institute at-will employment only in the East, where the unemployment is the worst.
At-will employment works just fine. I've never had a labor contract in my life and don't consider myself materially worse off for that fact. It's in no way evil. Indeed, it goes both ways, in that I can jump ship from my job to a better paying job at the drop of a hat. I have seen employees jump ship on short notice a whole hell of a lot more than I have seen employees being fired on short notice, so I believe at-will employment to benefit workers more than employers.
I'm wondering if the situation is comparable to that of the US during the 80's, when it was also suffering from a shift to newer industries and the overhang of a real-estate bubble.DISCLAIMER: the author of the above written texts does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for any offence and insult; disrespect, arrogance and related forms of demeaning behaviour; discrimination based on race, gender, age, income class, body mass, living area, political voting-record, football fan-ship and musical preference; insensitivity towards material, emotional or spiritual distress; and attempted emotional or financial black-mailing, skirt-chasing or death-threats perceived by the reader of the said written texts.Comment
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Originally posted by Provost Harrison
But on a side note, I always think that Schroeder seems like quite a laugh - the kind of man you could have a pint with down the boozer
Schröder and err, Prodi?Comment
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I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think it is. My brother was a part-time bicycle mechanic and he had a contract. I thought it was odd, because, as stated, I had never had one and didn't know anybody non-union who did have one.Originally posted by Colon
Isn't it possible to hire people at will in Germany? That'd surprise me.
Not comparable, in that the US had Reagan, who kicked some ass for a couple of years to turn things around rather quickly. This allowed the excess labor from job losses in manufacturing (and tens of millions of immigrants also) to be absorbed fairly quickly. The Germans have been saddled with an ineffective chancellor during its time of trial and now a grand coalition of uncertain value.I'm wondering if the situation is comparable to that of the US during the 80's, when it was also suffering from a shift to newer industries and the overhang of a real-estate bubble.I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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What reforms did teh Reagan implement?DISCLAIMER: the author of the above written texts does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for any offence and insult; disrespect, arrogance and related forms of demeaning behaviour; discrimination based on race, gender, age, income class, body mass, living area, political voting-record, football fan-ship and musical preference; insensitivity towards material, emotional or spiritual distress; and attempted emotional or financial black-mailing, skirt-chasing or death-threats perceived by the reader of the said written texts.Comment
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BTW, if you're interested: regional unemployment data in the EU
The disparity is pretty big: in states like Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz, you got 6%-ish unemployment, while in the eastern states they're to the tune of 20%.
Flanders, which also has central wage bargaining (at national level) and the like, has a mere 5.4% unemployment.Last edited by Colon™; October 11, 2005, 19:53.DISCLAIMER: the author of the above written texts does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for any offence and insult; disrespect, arrogance and related forms of demeaning behaviour; discrimination based on race, gender, age, income class, body mass, living area, political voting-record, football fan-ship and musical preference; insensitivity towards material, emotional or spiritual distress; and attempted emotional or financial black-mailing, skirt-chasing or death-threats perceived by the reader of the said written texts.Comment
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A summary list, according to Wikipedia.
(1) A drastic cut in marginal income tax rates (the highest from 70% to 28%) and simplified the tax code, which reduced a whole slew of loopholes for industry and individuals.
(2) He set the tone against entrenched labor interests by firing striking air traffic controllers.
(3) He removed oil price controls.
I'm trying to find a more comprehensive list...I came upon a barroom full of bad Salon pictures in which men with hats on the backs of their heads were wolfing food from a counter. It was the institution of the "free lunch" I had struck. You paid for a drink and got as much as you wanted to eat. For something less than a rupee a day a man can feed himself sumptuously in San Francisco, even though he be a bankrupt. Remember this if ever you are stranded in these parts. ~ Rudyard Kipling, 1891Comment
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See, good old Schröder has a proper drink whereas Prodi has something completely wussy and typically 'Italian'Originally posted by Ecthy
Schröder and err, Prodi?
Speaking of Erith:
"It's not twinned with anywhere, but it does have a suicide pact with Dagenham" - Linda SmithComment
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Very interesting stats, thanks Colon
I notice that Germany has considerably less youth-unemployment than most European countries. (12%ish, whereas it's 20%ish in most of Europe). That might well show that Germany has the potential to employ new people."I have been reading up on the universe and have come to the conclusion that the universe is a good thing." -- Dissident
"I never had the need to have a boner." -- Dissident
"I have never cut off my penis when I was upset over a girl." -- DisComment
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