41–50 of 77 posts
China actually adopted the 8-hour workday in 1930 ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-hour_day#China ). The 996 policy is a regression which needs to be fought by organized labor, the same way organized labor had to fight (and sometimes die) to get the 8-hour workday.
There's no organised labor in China; all unions are banned, except of course for the communist party.
China actually adopted the 8-hour workday in 1930 ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eight-hour_day#China ). The 996 policy is a regression which needs to be fought by organized labor, the same way organized labor had to fight (and sometimes die) to get the 8-hour workday.
Isn't that what the Communist Party is supposed to be?
So, I talked to someone who had worked at AliBaba for a bit (Son Luong Ngoc) and learned a lot. Some of the 996 is related to the company campus providing everything at a pretty low cost and a sort of presentism where being around is rewarded. All that plus the jobs are considered great jobs within China, and there is cut-throat performance competition process. Also, I think sleeping at work, taking a nap while waiti…
I just don't get how knowledge workers can slave away like that. I can be productive for 12-15 hours a day when the conditions are just right, but usually they aren't and after a few hours I need to switch to something less productive than actual coding. Do employers really see any measurable improvement in volume (let alone quality) of output after 30 hours a week?
The trick is, most work doesn't require you to be super productive. For example you could literally sleep through a lengthy meeting.
This is the reason why Chinese products are beating everyone else, and it's also a reason why we need to impose tariff on Chinese products made by workers in inhumane working conditions, e.g. 996.
Do they?
And you wonder why China is experiencing brain drain. Rest of world is moving toward 4-day work week and these guys think their citizens are dumb enough to slave away their lives.
The rest of the world will look to use 4 day work week as a way to put downward pressure on salaries. China hasn't really needed to put too much downward pressure on salaries.
This is the reason why Chinese products are beating everyone else, and it's also a reason why we need to impose tariff on Chinese products made by workers in inhumane working conditions, e.g. 996.
> Chinese products are beating everyone else I suspect the greedy business executives in the west insisting upon a race to the bottom on cost etc. have more to do with it.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
how productive can a person bee if they wake up, immediately commute to work, labor for 12 hours(!), and then immediately commute home, sleep?
Very. At least for the first decade. The say goodby to sanity, family, and hobbies.
This is the reason why Chinese products are beating everyone else, and it's also a reason why we need to impose tariff on Chinese products made by workers in inhumane working conditions, e.g. 996.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The trick is, most work doesn't require you to be super productive. For example you could literally sleep through a lengthy meeting.
You can, but that’s still work time.
So you don't get the refresh, the first 1-2 companies which employs you get the most benefit because you are not drained yet, but companies later in the line got a used battery almost completely drained -- and that's why China also has the 35 yrs old rule.