General Category > Economy/Business

Alibaba founder defends overtime work culture as 'huge blessing': 12 hours a day, 6 days a week

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Fishrrman:
The "workday" on American railroads was once 24 hours long.
That is to say, you worked until the job was finished.
But too many guys were dying in wrecks brought on from fatigue.

So...back in the early twentieth century, the federal government instituted the federal "hours of service" law. The workday was now 16 hours long, with 10 hours rest required if one "outlawed" (worked the full 16 hours).

So... what did the crews do?
They marked their timeslips for 15 hours, 59 minutes -- so they could be back in 8 hours instead of 10.

Some jobs worked like that 6 days a week.
And those guys would work on their "relief day" too, if the company called 'em!

By the time I got hired, the hours of service mandated a 12-hour workday. So crews would work the "full twelve", and could still be back on their assignments the next day with 10 hours off.

I never cared for the twelve-hour jobs. I liked being on the engine, but I like my time off at home, too!

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