Posted on 05/15/2006 3:00:35 PM PDT by rocksblues
BERLIN (Reuters) - Employers in World Cup host nation Germany should grant their workforces the flexibility to down tools and watch soccer matches during their shifts, the head of a major workers' union was quoted as saying.
With kick-off times for World Cup matches beginning as early as 3 p.m. local time, the chief of one of Germany's most powerful unions argued that workers should be given the chance to see at least part of the games.
"Employers should be flexible about working hours in order that their workforces can follow the matches," Frank Bsirske, head of the public services union Verdi, told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper in an article on the paper's Web site.
Companies such as Adidas, which are sponsoring the World Cup in Germany, have agreed to allow their employees to watch the matches at their desks, the paper said. Others, like Postbank, are organizing parties for some of the matches.
The head of Germany's employers' association Dieter Hundt told the newspaper no uniform rules should be applied to companies but that each firm should be free to decide for itself what was acceptable for soccer-mad fans.
"Every company should find its own ways together with their workers," Hundt was quoted as saying.
"If there is interest in my firm ... then the current flexible working practices would allow football fans the opportunity to watch part of the match on television."
However, his employees would not be allowed to watch the games at their workplaces, he said.
"I prefer it if my employees remain 100 percent committed to their jobs and not with half an eye or half an ear on the stadiums," he said.
BINGO!
Meh. Sure I like to see scoring. But you can have an exciting game in any sport even if it ends in a 0-0 tie. I guess I don't need big numbers to make it worthwhile.
"Awwww did I hurt your widdle feelings?"
Not really. I'm just kinda sick of people who feel they need to spoil a thread with their trivial comments that add nothing to the discussion.
"Make me."
Your school yard statement speaks volumes about your character and upbringing.
"Tell me where I said something NOT TRUE."
Here you go: "it isn't nearly fast paced enough for the American sports fan" The average NFL game is 60 minutes actual playing time, but is 4 hours on TV. You call that fast? I don't know what the average scorline is in the NFL, but I would imagine each team scores only 2~3 TD's per game. I watch soccer matches every weekend with similar score lines. The only difference being that the NFL gives you 6 points for a TD instead of just 1 as in soccer. I won't even begin to discuss how "fast paced" MLB is. Sheesh!
Yeah. I want Tuesday nites off to watch "House" and Thursday nites off to watch "Earl" too... tough t*ts! It's called responsibility and sacrifice, and these workers need to learn that.
Pushed down your throat? Really? By whom? I'm an American and it's not alien to me and it wasn't pushed down my throat. On the contrary. I had to actively seek-out live soccer coverage in the US. The only way to do that 5 years ago was to cancel my cable subscription, get DirecTV, and pay extra for Fox Sports World (now FSC).
As for soccer being alien: I wanted to play soccer when I was a kid (Calif. 1970's). I ran track growing up and hated standing around the outfield of a baseball diamond waiting for a fly ball to come my way every few innnings. Soccer was a natural for me. So much so that I played AYSO and club soccer until I finished college.
To each his own I guess.
Umm . . . commercials?
I like playing it, but soccer is about as exciting to watch as golf.
Why do you care if it will ever sell in the US or not?
I have played soccer before and it was exhausting. This was back when I was playing football, basketball, baseball and running track. Nothing wore me out like soccer.
But, I will watch it only under threat of extreme torture.
Ditto.
I remember when the US team was playing in some big deal World Cup match back in the 1990s (1994, I think). It was on July 4 and the media made a huge deal over it. I went to a friend's Indy Day party where we all planned to slam back some hot dogs, gather around the big screen and enjoy the game.
That lasted until about 30 minutes into the snoozefest. Two people fell asleep, and everyone else just wondered off to do something else. It was like watching mold form on the side of a building. A test pattern has more action.
What makes the World Cup special is that fact that entire countries are wrapped up in it. And one day the US will make it to the Finals, and when they do, you will see Super Bowl-like ratings for the finals. Why? Because, Americans love winners, period.
The World Cup is not like the MLS.
I remember that game, against Brazil, we were in a bar on Miami Beach watching the game (with a lot of Brazil fans) and we had a great time, though the US did lose the game. But it was a great run, that set the stage for the US gaining prominence.
Really?
The US finally lost?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
My plan: Let all players use their hands, carry sticks, and put an official clock where everyone can see it...
Wait a minute. That's already called Lacrosse.
You don't?
It won't EVER sell in the US, it isn't nearly fast paced enough for the American sports fan. And Thank God for that.
Hardly sounds like a statement coming from a man who doesn't care.
but until the liberal network execs realize that, it will continue to be crammed down our throats. I used to live in Columbus with the Crew. Talk about an annoying waste of time.
Since when is anything sports related crammed down anyone's throat? The NHL is the 4th major sport in this country yet it is rather non-existant. Heck, even baseball and basketball aren't crammed down people's throats here and those are fairly major sports, unless all you get is ABC or something.
I don't like NASCAR at all (people complain about how boring soccer is, but I fail to see what's so exciting about people driving in a circle 500 times), but I wouldn't even say that is crammed down my throat, and it has a lot of popularity here.
Now there's a sport nobody cares about. Even the lame US pro soccer league does better than the lame pro lacrosse league, indoor or outdoor.
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