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Sat 1 Aug, 2009 01:21 am
The don't work much, and get a lot of holidays, those Europeans [in the EU], it is said.
A newly released proves it.
The most workaholic country within the European Union is Romania, where workers worked an average of 41.8 hours a week in the third quarter of 2008.
Germans aren't far behind, clocking in 41.2 hours, according to the study released this week by Eurofound, an EU agency which tracks working conditions. France had the lowest average working hours in the EU, the average worker toiled away for only 38.4 hours a week.
The greatest split in working hours among EU members was between the newly admitted member states of eastern Europe, where workers averaged 41 hours a week, and the pre-enlargement EU15 members in Western Europe, who worked just 39.9 hours a week.
Of the EU15 members, only Austria beat out Germany for hours worked, and then by just 0.1 hours a week.
With an average of 33 days annual leave, Swedes are streets ahead of their European counterparts when in comes to taking holidays.
Swedes enjoy an average 33 days of "collectively agreed" annual leave, the report shows, while the average across the EU is 25.2. Runners-up in the holiday stakes are neighbouring Denmark with 30 days and Germany with 30, while the Cypriots and the Estonians have to make do with 20.
@saab,
Norway is not a member state of the European Union (EU), but is, in effect, required to adopt much EU legislation due to its participation in the European Economic Area (EEA), through the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). Additionally, Norway has chosen to opt into many of the Union's programmes, institutions and activities.
@contrex,
Then it should be EU and Norway
@saab,
I don't think that I wrote such - the graphics are sourced (and those websites don't include Norway in the EU either).
From the above quoted source:
Quote:This annual update looks at a number of aspects of the duration of working time in the European Union and Norway in 2008, ...
Reason: see contrex' responses.
@saab,
And Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland..
@Walter Hinteler,
You did not say anything about Norway.
All graphics include Norway, that is what I reacted about. I did not see the quote you just had in your answer. Sorry.
@Francis,
Those three are not on the graphics - so there was no reason to mention them.
@Francis,
Pays de chocolat je crois, voisin du Liechtenstein
@contrex,
Ce n'était pas une question, à proprement parler, mais une remarque purement rhétorique...
@Francis,
Oui je le comprends bien. L'Union européenne et la Suisse ont signé qqs accords bilatéraux...
@Francis,
You are a more observant reader than I.
I remember reading somewhere that in an earlier century there were many church holidays that workers got as holiday. Little by little that was eliminated, until Christmas is the only holiday that may be remaining? In the U.S. Good Friday is not automatically a holiday.
@Foofie,
I think Walter is using the term "holiday" to mean vacation time. Vacation time for Americans has been shrinking steadily over the years and work time has increased. In Europe it is the opposite.
@Foofie,
That's not the case in Germany. The number of religious holidays in Germany varies by state -- but all states have two Christmas holidays off (December 25t and 26th), Good Friday, Easter Monday, and Whitmonday. Of course we have more secular holidays, too.
An even more important point is that none of the federal and state holidays are optional for employers. Work on holidays is regulated in the same way as work on Sundays.
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