Hello Robert,
i don't know about the east coast, but i hear (tho haven't had
one) they still have 'em in some parts of CA.
Black friday, for those who don't know is (generally) every
other friday, is taken off, with pay. .. sometimes its when
only half a day is worked for full pay, but usually that
condition had been "traded" for every other WHOLE friday
off....
for those wondering how such a thing could be, a little
background. ... when times were "bad", that is not enough work
for all the members of a particular trade or local, in order
for more members to be able to have a job at all, the time off
was negotiated, most often INSTEAD of a raise in pay... for
example, in some parts of NY, they still work a 7 hour work
day, because THEY got one hour off, INSTEAD of a pay raise, at
some time in the past. ...
at the time these contracts were negotiated, one hour off for
the same $$$$ on the check amounted to 12.5% pay raise in the
NY case, or 10% in the CA cases. .. but the unions were more
powerful, and could get pay raises, even when they had large
numbers of members out of work.... ..
NOW those portions of the contracts are still in effect, as
who, in their right mind, would give that away in negotiations?
--
Best regards,
Bill mailto:pythias@pacifier.com
"66 Sprite
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