Jackson Free Press

Well I am all for a four day workweek. I think this is a very proactive attempt at getting this country back to some level of economic responsibility. Clearly we are going to have to step up as a people and make some strides for change in our city, county, and state government. Speaking of cutting costs, I've often wondered why our public transit system here in Jackson is not used as much as in other cities. Are we just addicted to driving? We need to educate people on utilizing our transit system and THEN make the city actually put some time into getting more frequent routes in a more timely fashion. Using the bus system, plus shorter workweeks would be a great start to fixing some of our economic issues, short term and long term.

How do you feel about governmental offices have longer days and closed on Friday? If Jackson adopted this change in the work week schedule, what affect would it have on our city? Will we ever take full advantage of the buses around town that could help with spending on gas? Can we adjust?

Here's a link http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-06-30-four-day_N.htm?se=yahoorefer
What's your take>?

Previous Comments

ID

131806

Comment

Four day work schedules would help on the conservation of gas and with the affordability of people barely able to afford gas these days. The latest story on the "Smoking Gun Website" is a story about a woman selling sex for gas. This is a shame and our governmental leadership should be ashamed of itself for letiing things go so badly. I haven't thought of selling myself yet to get gas but I have been pondering ways to break into the back yards of my neighbors, and peircing the gas tanks of their lawn mower, to get gas so me and the wife can make it to work thruout the week. I figured if I stole small amounts of gas at a time I could probably hit up all 564 houses in my neighborhood and never get caught. You see, I be thinking. I'm a man with a plan!

Author

Walt

Date

2008-07-02T09:20:45-06:00

ID

131813

Comment

I heard about this on another news program a while ago. I think it's a great idea. At a place where I used to work, there were a few four-day workweek schedules available. I would have taken one if I had a car at the time. I wouldn't mind taking the bus either if they ran when I needed them and they had stops closer to where I needed to go. I remember when I considered using the bus to get to work at a job that was near the downtown Y, and I was disappointed when I saw that the nearest bus stop was the corner of N. State and Fortification. That was too far for me, and who knows what I would have smelled like by the time I got to work if I walked the rest of the way.

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2008-07-02T12:48:48-06:00

ID

131816

Comment

I heard about this being done in Birmingham... I would love a 4-day work week. Actually, I can work from home for most things, so I could still work 5 days if necessary. I would also love to see an improvement in JATRAN so that more people can use it. I have already seen more people at the bus stops than in years past, but JATRAN needs more routes, timely service and well-trained drivers in order to see success with more people riding. Plus, there is still a stigma around here that public transportation is for "poor people," which is simply not true. I would take public transportation to work if it ran this far, but I'm outside Jackson city limits. That is going to be another issue -- getting public transport going in the suburbs that can connect with JATRAN.

Author

Sally

Date

2008-07-02T13:15:59-06:00

ID

131819

Comment

I also watched the recent news programs about this. I consider it a good idea (although I now live less than a mile from where I work...so its a sorta moot point). There is at least one day during the week where I take a "paperwork day". All of this could be done at home. I saved approximately $$200.00 a month in gas simply by moving from Madison into Jackson to be closer to work. I did this in December. As of the gas prices this morning, I KNOW its been a good decision. When the "crap" hits the fan in a few months...out comes the old bicycle. :)

Author

Lori G

Date

2008-07-02T13:25:56-06:00

ID

131874

Comment

I read your latest column, Lori. Glad to see you writing again since you're one of my all time favorite.

Author

Walt

Date

2008-07-03T14:01:25-06:00

ID

131876

Comment

I am currently on a four day work week, and I love it. Yes, I'm at work longer, but during the school year, I can go eat with my children once a week: we can schedule doctors appointments for that day: and I can sleep in. It is saving us about $40 biweekly in gas, too. Sally: I'm also outside Jackson city limits, and I work in another town also outside the city. If they could get express buses like TARC has in Louisville, KY, I'd be on it every day!

Author

Lady Havoc

Date

2008-07-03T15:09:54-06:00

ID

131880

Comment

Ra...er, Walt...you know you're my favorite blogger. Thanks ;)

Author

Lori G

Date

2008-07-03T17:53:25-06:00

ID

131886

Comment

I'm a self-employed writer who works out of a home office, doing what amounts to a seven-day work week but one where I can take a day off anytime there's something else I'd rather be doing. It's not a bad deal, since I have no commute, but if I had 40 minutes of driving to get to and from my office (instead of a 20-foot walk from my bedroom) it'd be a royal pain. I find that I perform better if I write at least something every single day, though. Keeps the engine running. I can't imagine only working five days a week on a regular basis, much less four. It would feel very strange, and it would require me to write for longer periods of time than I have to write when I work six or seven days out of the week. I think a lot of self-employed folks who work at home probably gravitate towards six- or seven-day work weeks, or at least that has been my experience. Meanwhile, the four-day work week makes more sense for a traditional job and will no doubt become more popular as gas prices continue to climb. And most service industries will likely stick to a five-day work week. It'll be interesting to see the impact of this increasing work-hour diversity on our culture--Americans are increasingly becoming content-on-demand, event-on-demand, flex-time, spontaneous people, at least when we're given the option. I can even imagine a three-day work week, where people work three 14-hour days and take the rest of the week off. Some physicians work those kinds of hours, but there's no reason why folks who want to in other industries shouldn't be able to, as long as their health can take it... For that matter, it's quite possible to do two 20-hour days and take five days off every week. I've occasionally worked 20-hour days before while on deadline. It's not a barrel of fun, but the five days off work every week might be a pleasant tradeoff for folks who can handle the hours.

Author

Tom Head

Date

2008-07-03T23:39:47-06:00