My new record---86.5 hr. work week.

Ron-P

Everyone should do time like this at least once.

Why?

billbillw

Put in a few 90+ hour weeks back on my first job out of college. It was during a production line controller retrofit. I wasn't even supposed to be involved, but it turned out that I was the only one who had a clue (or enough programming experience) on how to program the PLC controllers and make them work with each other (there were 6 separate hoist controllers) The whole retrofit job was supposed to be done in a week, but after 3 weeks, I was still making changes to the controller logic every day and training the line operators how to use the new system. It was a good experience, but the owner never really acknowledged, nor adequately compensated me, for my contribution to the whole project. I left them a few months later.

I was young and could get by with just a few hours sleep back then. I could never do much more than 50 hours now.

hearingimpared

The worst weekly non-sleep week I ever had was: in 1989 I had my own high-end audio business. I had designed and manufactured a few products of my own. One of the products was a record clamp of which I had somewhere in the vicinity 700 pieces from orders to fill. Being a one man operation, I had to write and produce the user manual, produce the boxes, collect all the parts (five separate pieces each plus heavily damped silicone grease) from the machine shop, construct each clamp, stuff the boxes (clamp, warranty card, manual), seal them, and ship them. The first week I had to get out 280 pieces. . . it took me 120 hours straight. Now that I had a system down the second week where I had 350 more took 130 straight hours. I'm ashamed to admit that I needed some chemical help for all this. I can tell you after being awake for 120 hours, you begin to question your sanity, audio & video hallucinations. After all there are only 168 hours in a week.

I won't be doing that again anytime soon.

madmax

Ron-P wrote:

Why?

Changes your overall mindset. Makes you feel really good. If you haven't been there you wouldn't understand. Thats "why".

I was totally wasted after 37 hours, can't imagine 120+. Of course the rum took its toll. I found my friend sitting at his desk, phone in hand, asleep. Woke him up, he looked dazed, dropped the phone and fell back to sleep.
madmax

nadams

I'm thinking about working two full-time jobs for a month or so... 80 hours/week steady. But The one job is going to be my new one, and I'd like to devote my full energy to that endeavor, so they don't think I'm an idiot. It would make me a tonne of money, but in the end, it probably would not be worth it at all.

madmax

I would do it if I wanted some extra cash. A month is certainly do-able if you have freedom at the old job. Make sure you go to the new job you care about first though. Everyone told me I was insane. They also wondered how I could afford to pick up a new car, put a down payment on a house and pick up a bunch of audio equipment a few months later while they were worried about buying lunch...
madmax

Demiurge

A couple bucks isn't worth some long term health problems that can arise from a lack of sleep, or your inability to pay attention to important things because you're tired....or the risk hurting someone else.

Shizelbs

There was a recent study on medical residents and their poor driving performances immediately following 100+ hour weeks. It was scary. In the hospitals I have worked in anyways, there is now a strong push and concern that no resident work more than 100/week unless very necessary.

Demiurge

Shizelbs wrote:

There was a recent study on medical residents and their poor driving performances immediately following 100+ hour weeks. It was scary. In the hospitals I have worked in anyways, there is now a strong push and concern that no resident work more than 100/week unless very necessary.

Right-o, and even then they're getting to sleep at the hospital while they're still on call.

Mazeroth

When I pull a 50+ hour week I feel like sh#t!

My father, who is almost 62, works so many hours it's insane. He works for General Motors and does a lot of manual labor. No joke, last year, when the Cobalt had just launched, he didn't have a day off from Thanksgiving until APRIL! We're talking not a week under 80 hours :eek:

scottvamp

Corporate America and thier overtime. It's nothing to brag about and not the way to run a bussiness. I work 50+ a week labor and i hate it. I feel like crap and have no energy. It is a shame some people tolarate it over thier own familys. My body is so screwed up (feet and back problems). I have no family/children and i feel sorry for the people that deal with overtime struggle. And then thier are the people that work to get away from thier family - that's just sad.
America's becoming a sweatshop nation, plain and simple.


RANT OVER!

Demiurge

scottvamp wrote:

Corporate America and thier overtime. It's nothing to brag about and not the way to run a bussiness. I work 50+ a week labor and i hate it. I feel like crap and have no energy. It is a shame some people tolarate it over thier own familys. I have no family so i feel sorry for the people that deal with. And then thier are the people that work to get away from thier family - that's just sad.
America's becoming a sweatshop nation, plain and simple.


RANT OVER!

hahaha

mrbigbluelight

Well, I've worked 76.5 hours/week since 0ctober 28. Of 2003. Only 2 more years to go, and it's all good !

...... hasn't affected me yet.

It's all in the attitude, and an appreciation of the alternatives.

....I still say Nancy Grace is cute.

bobman1235

scottvamp wrote:

Corporate America and thier overtime. It's nothing to brag about and not the way to run a bussiness. I work 50+ a week labor and i hate it. I feel like crap and have no energy. It is a shame some people tolarate it over thier own familys. My body is so screwed up (feet and back problems). I have no family/children and i feel sorry for the people that deal with overtime struggle. And then thier are the people that work to get away from thier family - that's just sad.
America's becoming a sweatshop nation, plain and simple.


RANT OVER!

Pfff, talk to someone from Japan some time.

Normanality

mrbigbluelight wrote:

Well, I've worked 76.5 hours/week since 0ctober 28. Of 2003. Only 2 more years to go, and it's all good !

I did similarly from June 1984 - January 1990 with Keebler running a distribution center.
Averaged 70-75 hours weekly during that period (on salary).
No way to live a life. No time for a life. Sad part is it was completely unappreciated. They actually expected more and during my final Xmas holiday, I refused to make my drivers work over Xmas eve. That was the beginning of the end. That DC was only open another year after I left. Noone would work there.

scottvamp

bobman1235 wrote:

Pfff, talk to someone from Japan some time.

Actually, in recent years we as Americans work more hours than "corporate" Japan. This is America by the way, not Japan. I have been to Japan and have friends stationed thier. We should not compare ourselves to countries to benifit our own work morals.
I can just here a manager saying "well at least we don't rape and beat you like _________.:eek:

Demiurge

scottvamp wrote:

Actually, in recent years we as Americans work more hours than "corporate" Japan. This is America by the way, not Japan. I have been to Japan and have friends stationed thier. We should not compare ourselves to countries to benifit our own work morals.
I can just here a manager saying "well at least we don't rape and beat you like _________.:eek:

People work too much in America mostly because they choose to. I'm at the office far more than a 40 hour week making sure my employees have everything they need during the week so they're not asked to work overtime (which they can deny here, and for which they get paid time & a half).

I generally don't believe in overtime unless absolutely necessary because it's merely an excuse for people to milk their regular hours for overtime pay. As much as you're bitching about working overtime in this thread you are getting ample compensation for your inconvenience.

Again, if you don't like getting paid time and a half you could always work another job.

Your personal decision might very well be tough -- depending on your situation, either chosen or given, but the solution in a capitalistic society is always easy.

Whatever industry you guys are in that requires overtime every week, please fill me in so I can make a mint in it.

dylan

Shizelbs wrote:

In the hospitals I have worked in anyways, there is now a strong push and concern that no resident work more than 100/week unless very necessary.

I never understood the long, long hours residents put in, considering the stakes involved? Is it part of the medical culture?

scottvamp

Demiurge wrote:

People work too much in America mostly because they choose to. I'm at the office far more than a 40 hour week making sure my employees have everything they need during the week so they're not asked to work overtime (which they can deny here, and for which they get paid time & a half).

I generally don't believe in overtime unless absolutely necessary because it's merely an excuse for people to milk their regular hours for overtime pay. As much as you're bitching about working overtime in this thread you are getting ample compensation for your inconvenience.

Again, if you don't like getting paid time and a half you could always work another job.

Your personal decision might very well be tough -- depending on your situation, either chosen or given, but the solution in a capitalistic society is always easy.

Whatever industry you guys are in that requires overtime every week, please fill me in so I can make a mint in it.

Sure, people choose to work overtime. I talking about Arizona/corparate america. If i don't work OT, i'm fired. Not to mention the time is counted against you and you may never see a pay raise. Why is it like that - they underpay thier employees. The profit is so high that the overtime and turn over rate does not bother them.
Come on down, i will hire you tomorrow. All the work you want - if you are a workaholic, its right up you alley. The pay and taxes on over time you can live pretty decent, except that houseing has tripled in the last 2 years.:mad:

Demiurge

scottvamp wrote:

Sure, people choose to work overtime. I talking about Arizona/corparate america. If i don't work OT, i'm fired. Not to mention the time is counted against you and you may never see a pay raise. Why is it like that - they underpay thier employees. The profit is so high that the overtime and turn over rate does not bother them.
Come on down, i will hire you tomorrow. All the work you want - if you are a workaholic, its right up you alley. The pay and taxes on over time you can live pretty decent, except that houseing has tripled in the last 2 years.:mad:

So why work there?

If you're not happy, and someone else is, who has a decision to make?

scottvamp

Your right. I have fast food or WalMart for miniumun wage. It's a tough one. The point i was making is not all people choose to work overtime and did not see you jumping at the my offer. :rolleyes:
Strange how Unions are disappearing like crazy..........

nadams

This calls for some Billy Joel-

Anthony works in the grocery store
Savin' his pennies for someday
Mama Leone left a note on the door,
She said,
"Sonny, move out to the country."
Workin' too hard can give you
A heart attackackackackackack
You oughta know by now
Who needs a house out in Hackensack?
Is that all you get for your money?

And it seems such a waste of time
If that's what it's all about
Mama, If that's movin' up then I'm movin' out.
Mmm, I'm movin' out. Ooh-hoo, uh-huh, mmmm

Sergeant O'Leary is walkin' the beat
At night he becomes a bartender
He works at Mister Cacciatore's down
On Sullivan Street
Across from the medical center
Yeah and he's tradin' in his Chevy for a Cadillacacacacacacacac
You oughta know by now
And if he can't drive
With a broken back
At least he can polish the fenders

And It seems such a waste of time
If that's what it's all about
Mama, If that's movin' up then I'm movin' out.
Mmm, I'm movin' out. Ooh-hoo, uh-huh, mmmm

You should never argue with a crazy mi-mi-mi-mi-mi-mind
You oughta know by now
You can pay Uncle Sam with the overtime
Is that all you get for your money?

And if that's what you have in mind
yeah if that's what you're all about
Good luck movin' up 'cause I'm movin' out.
Mmm, I'm movin' out. Ooh-hoo, uh-huh, mmmm

I'm movin' out...

Demiurge

scottvamp wrote:

Your right. I have fast food or WalMart for miniumun wage. It's a tough one. The point i was making is not all people choose to work overtime and did not see you jumping at the my offer. :rolleyes:
Strange how Unions are disappearing like crazy..........

Why would I take you up on your offer? I run my own business. I wouldn't want to get jerked around either -- and I made the choice not to be. Consequently, I don't treat my employees like that either.

I realize we all say things just to ****, but if you really believe anything you've said I'm truly sorry for you. You're denying yourself so many opportunities.

scottvamp

I live a good life because i work my tail off. Don't talk about something you have no ideal about. Great, you own your own bussiness and sit at a desk all day. That has nothing to do with people busting thier a$$ on corporate driven OT.
I will start my multi-million dollar business tomorrow.:rolleyes:

Demiurge

scottvamp wrote:

I live a good life because i work my tail off. Don't talk about something you have no ideal about. Great, you own your own bussiness and sit at a desk all day. That has nothing to do with people busting thier a$$ on corporate driven OT.
I will start my multi-million dollar business tomorrow.:rolleyes:

You're even more ridiculous than I originally thought.

scottvamp

Demiurge wrote:

You're even more ridiculous than I originally thought.

Thanks for the enlightening conversation - the world must look really good from behind your "business" desk. Funny i expected more from you.

I'm ridiculous because i am an areospace mechanic working for a fortune 500 company. Got'cha

MSALLA

scottvamp wrote:

I live a good life because i work my tail off. Don't talk about something you have no ideal about. Great, you own your own bussiness and sit at a desk all day. That has nothing to do with people busting thier a$$ on corporate driven OT.
I will start my multi-million dollar business tomorrow.:rolleyes:

Not for nothing, If you had any proof of forced overtime, a call to the labor board would stop that. You said it yourself, you work hard to live a good life. Not everyone has that option.
If you think owning your own business is just sitting behind a desk all day and working less your out of your mind. First one in, last to leave, and enough stress to stop your heart. Look at most small business owners over 60 and more then 3/4 will have "the zipper" from a heart bypass.
When I was younger in the company, I averaged 60 hour weeks for years, all manual labor. Now I sit behind a desk. I'd go back to the labor any day of the week.
You want to know what owning your own business is like? Find something your good at, draw up a business plan, find investors, take loans on you house sell your car and put every dime you have into it and pray you are sucessful enough to keep the investors happy, keep the roof over your head and keep food on the table because you gambled everything you had on you business making it. Then you will feel a small part of the stress that will come and go for years . It will also be the most satisfying feeling you will ever know if you make it.

scottvamp

Az is a right to work state. The state does not even allow for breaks.
I hope to own a small business one day. At least you have some control. If your neglecting your family and putting in a 100 hours a week and not growing your business at a large rate, you got bigger problems.
I just hate to see people blind to corporate america's work force. The large business will do anything to turn a larger profit. That is why the big three auto makers are chocking right now. Without a happy quality driven work force you put out junk.
I work on planes you and your family fly on and our management does not care about experienced people - a warm body is a warm body. As long as they get a bonus every qaurter thier happy. Let me tell ya, not good.

Ron-P

If you haven't been there you wouldn't understand.

Then I can happily say that I will never understand because I will never do it. Life is just way too short to waste on over-working myself.

hearingimpared

dylan wrote:

I never understood the long, long hours residents put in, considering the stakes involved? Is it part of the medical culture?

Yep that is their way of weeding out the ones who can't take it. My wife is a nurse and when first starting out (in a hospital setting) they overwhelm them with classes and work to weed out the ones who can and the ones who can't. Typical nurses hours in a hospital are three, 12 hour shifts. They can't make them work more than that unvoluntarily because it is too stressful. It may sound ludicrous but that is the truth.