On the other hand, if they worked longer hours, there could be (not necessarily would be) fewer of them. Frankly, I don't know anyone in the private sector who works less than 12 hours a day. Some work 14 or more. What makes government employees so special that they can coast? Have you ever seen their pension plans?
If they can make that happen,,,,, Call The Vatican.
These are german government workers we are discussing. US government employees get only a half hour for lunch.
Question for you ~ what do the government pension plans offer? Give us some details.
Frankly, I don't know anyone in the private sector who works less than 12 hours a day. Some work 14 or more.
You mean the executives or CEO types? My brother works as a senior engineer in auto industry in Detroit and he typically works around 9-10 hours a day (but he does have conferences or OT work cropping up frequently). I once worked in a electrical utilities company here in Auckland (New Zealand) as summer job and I never met anyone who had to make it later than 5:30.
According to surveys conducted in NZ, less than 10% of all people work for more than 60 hours a week. Still, our figures are halfway between you and Europeans.