I totally buy the 35 hour thing, but I don't think these companies really have a reason to care. They can push workers to the breaking point to extract whatever

I totally buy the 35 hour thing, but I don't think these companies really have a reason to care. They can push workers to the breaking point to extract whatever diminished returns at no additional cost, then "manage out" the resulting burned-out husks and replace them with fresh meat. With a side of ageism in hiring to ensure that you're getting the freshest, least-distracted minds as grist for your CRUD app mill, it's win-win. Another win is that by focusing on attrition rather than sustainable retention, you can lag inflation in your compensation since you only have to match it at offer time.