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I would not say it is completely outside of the ordinary for factory work. It is an extreme, but forced over time is a pretty common problem in warehouses and f

I would not say it is completely outside of the ordinary for factory work. It is an extreme, but forced over time is a pretty common problem in warehouses and factories in the US. Typically that comes with a 1.5X pay increase for overtime hours worked, but working 60-80 hours a week or more is physically and psychologically draining, especially when the factories and warehouses are not air conditioned and the temperature inside hits 100-120 degrees during the summer. Employees tolerate it because it can double their annual salary buying a better life for their families. It just comes at a huge personal cost. In this specific instance the 80 hour work weeks are simply not sustainable and I have to imagine that management will want to end the practice as soon as possible. I did not see mention of 1.5X pay in the article, but unless Kansas has very lax labor laws that would be the norm. If 80 hour work weeks are common it is costing them to not hire new workers.

pauljurczak 5y ago
> unless Kansas has very lax labor laws Kansas does have lax labor laws. I went to check and according to https://www.dol.ks.gov/laws-faqs https://www.dol.ks.gov/laws-faqs: "State law says that overtime is due once an employee has worked 46 hours within a week. Federal law says that overtime is due once an employee has worked 40 hours within a week." So it is substandard, and this: "Breaks are not required under state or federal law."
labawi 5y ago
> 1.5x rate is costing them 1.5x of what base? Those people aren't working 80h because they like the pay. They need the money. Not necessarily all of it, but are dependent on the job. haven't had a pay raise in 10y. It would be cheaper to hire more workers, if they could get any to work for the same pay. They likely can't, so it would be more expensive to raise the pay. As it is, in the short term, it could be dangerous to let people have time to think. Conditions call for a strike. Don't know what took them so long.

pauljurczak 5y ago

> unless Kansas has very lax labor laws Kansas does have lax labor laws. I went to check and according to https://www.dol.ks.gov/laws-faqs https://www.dol.ks.gov/laws-faqs: "State law says that overtime is due once an employee has worked 46 hours within a week. Federal law says that overtime is due once an employee has worked 40 hours within a week." So it is substandard, and this: "Breaks are not required under state or federal law."

labawi 5y ago

> 1.5x rate is costing them 1.5x of what base? Those people aren't working 80h because they like the pay. They need the money. Not necessarily all of it, but are dependent on the job. haven't had a pay raise in 10y. It would be cheaper to hire more workers, if they could get any to work for the same pay. They likely can't, so it would be more expensive to raise the pay. As it is, in the short term, it could be dangerous to let people have time to think. Conditions call for a strike. Don't know what took them so long.