Carrefour, Coto And Disco

[Mano Negra]

I rather like the fact that supermarket workers have their own day, why shouldn't they, its not exactly a fun job so its nice to have a little perk. I also don't understand why it is such an inconvenience? In London it would be, because the supermarkets have all but wiped out the independent butchers or fruit and veg shops, but here there is one every couple of blocks. I often wonder as I walk past Carrefour and look at the long lines of miserable punters, why people bother to go to supermarkets when there is so much choice? Plus, once you get to know your butcher or your greengrocer you are assured of the quality. I admit to being fond of Carrefour's pickled quails eggs, so occasionally pop in if I see the place is empty, but other than that pick up the basics at the chino and the rest fresh every day on my evening ramble. Plus the Chino's happily run a tab for you, which I can't see happening in Carrefour. Anyway, one of the reasons I moved here is that I really value being able to walk round my barrio in the evening, do my shopping, stop at a cafe for a little whiskey or two, chat to a few people and then cook myself a great supper with fresh ingredients. Not possible in the UK anymore. Don't know about the US?

 

[PhilipDT]

I rather like the fact that supermarket workers have their own day, why shouldn't they, its not exactly a fun job so its nice to have a little perk.

Why should they? Most only work 5 days a week and get several weeks of vacation per year. I don't understand why every supermarket needs to shut down just so that their employees don't have to work.

 

[lucha54]

I have a question, I had a coupon that Jumbo gave me a week ago, for yesterday and the day before. Of course I didn't get around to using it the first day that it was valid, and yesterday the shop was closed!! Who's betting they will honor the coupon today?! Haha

 

[kerriem]

Why should they? Most only work 5 days a week and get several weeks of vacation per year. I don't understand why every supermarket needs to shut down just so that their employees don't have to work.

I think it is brilliant! We're all humans first, employees second so we should all be campaigning for working hours that are conducive to you know, being humans and living our lives.

 

[PhilipDT]

I think it is brilliant! We're all humans first, employees second so we should all be campaigning for working hours that are conducive to you know, being humans and living our lives.

I'm not saying people shouldn't have working hours that let them be humans. I'm saying why do they all need time off on the same day? Imagine if there was a national policeman day (there probably is) when all the cops got the day off? Or doctors, or firefighters?

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Agree about the working hours, my biggest sacrifice coming here was the amount of vacation time i had to give up. Argentina being in some respects a very hierarchical society there seems to be a greater difference between the new entrants and incumbents in terms of vacation time available. New fools like me get 3 weeks where the slumbering behemoths close to retirement end up with closer to 2 months!

4 weeks should be the mimimum vacation time. 2 weeks in summer, 1 for spring and 1 for xmas more or less. I know those of you from the US howled at me in the past for that idea, but I stick to my guns. US corporate vacation allowances are a grim indictment of the value placed on new staff!

So yes, more holidays, but a day off which shuts down an industry at a time each day seems inefficient. Still, of the all the people who probably deserve it those lower down on the wage scale are closest to the top of the list. So my protest should have been more muted.

But..i did need that aluminium (count the I´s americans!) foil last night to cook!

 

[kerriem]

Dublin2BuenosAires, I hear you! Four weeks annual leave is the minimum in Australia but I was fortunate enough to have six weeks at my last job. I cannot express what a difference it made to my enjoyment of life, stress levels and dare I say it productivity when I was back at work. Australia also has one of the best economies in the world so clearly our annual leave laws aren't doing us any harm. I feel desperately sorry for my friends in other parts of the world who are allowed a measly two weeks per year. What a cruel joke the corporate world plays on us mere humans!

 

[Dublin2BuenosAires]

Dublin2BuenosAires, I hear you! Four weeks annual leave is the minimum in Australia but I was fortunate enough to have six weeks at my last job. I cannot express what a difference it made to my enjoyment of life, stress levels and dare I say it productivity when I was back at work. Australia also has one of the best economies in the world so clearly our annual leave laws aren't doing us any harm. I feel desperately sorry for my friends in other parts of the world who are allowed a measly two weeks per year. What a cruel joke the corporate world plays on us mere humans!

The good news is that if you spend 10 years keeping under the radar here you will be rewarded with lots of vacation time and generous benefits including the ability to sleep in work.

 

[fifs2]

[sup]We used to give our employees their birthday off as a bonus (an old IBM standard I loved) but as CFK starting creating extra public holidays (because the sun rose and set ) we had to give it up as none of our clients understood so much random absences, closures for puentes etc. Annual vacations like 3 weeks for a PM to be ooo is normal yes but to be closed for 2 consecutive public days at least once a month or much more is baffling to the US customers, to the Chinese its unfathomable...I LOVE holidays and prioritzing life over work but to survive in the global economy we now use our European staff to fill the gap or we'd be out of business. [/sup]

 

[nledec]

Don't all workers get a day on May 1st? Why do we need a second day? Of course the answer is we don't...unless of course it is an election year!