Chapter 7- Activity 7

ACTIVITY 7

7a)

In Activity 6, you read that most Germans work five days per week. Normal working hours are still from 8am to 5pm. But besides this average working model, there are many alternative ones. Alternatives are necessary not only because of the high unemployment rate but also because of the changing structures of German society.

What kind of working model would be the best for you? Without forgetting that less work means less money, how many hours per day or week would you like to work? (You don't have to submit this answers.)


	7b)

Prereading-information:
The project "Arbeit-Leben-Zeit – Forum von Kirche und Gewerkschaft" is a forum that aims to support a public discussion about the reduction of working hours and the conception of work. Two main churches in Germany (Roman-Catholic and Lutheran) as well as the labor unions support it. The following text is extracted from an article about a working model of the Volkswagen Werke, which began a few years ago. More information can be found on the Forum website:
http://www.arbeit-leben-zeit.de

Please read the following text:

Auf den Geschmack gekommen: Bilanz der 28,8-Stunden-Woche bei VW

Ein innovatives Arbeitszeitmodell feiert Geburtstag: Seit nunmehr 5 Jahren praktiziert Volkswagen die so genannte "Viertagewoche". In einer tiefen Absatzkrise der Automobilindustrie drohte 30 % der Angestellten die Entlassung – 1994 reduzierte das Unternehmen deshalb die Wochenarbeitszeit auf 28,8-Stunden. (...)

Die Mehrheit der VW-Angestellten kommt tatsächlich nur noch an 4 Tagen pro Woche ins Werk. 7 Stunden und 12 Minuten beträgt die offizielle Arbeitszeit auf der Basis von 28,8 Stunden pro Woche. Die Arbeitnehmer wechseln sich bei den freien Tagen ab. Auch am Freitag ist immer jemand da. Immer mehr Angestellte bestimmen ohnehin individuell, wann sie kommen und gehen – sie verwalten ihr Arbeitspensum selbst. (...)

(Source: http://www.arbeit-leben-zeit.de/box/box.modelle/box.modelle.wochenarbeitszeit/content.box.modelle.wochenarbeitszeit.vw/index.html)


	7c)

Use the context and your knowledge about cognates and compound nouns to guess the meaning of the following words. If you have no idea, click the HINT button. Correct answers will turn green and take you automatically to the next slot.
The SHOW ANSWERS button will show you the correct answer.


	7d)

Imagine that you start work as a VW employee. During your first discussion with him or her, the senior officer describes and explains to you the model above and asks for your preferred working schedule. Write down when you'd like to begin and end work each day. Make sure that you have the necessary number of working hours (excluding breaks) and that you don't work too much.

1)
Please click on the SUBMIT button and respond to this question via e-mail, laying out your answers e.g. like this:

MONTAG
Zeit:
Pause:
Zeit:

DIENSTAG
Zeit:
Pause:
Zeit:

and so on (MITTWOCH, DONNERSTAG, FREITAG).

2)
What do you think of the VW working model? What are some some advantages and disadvantages?