Psyxologos

lol. Give it up. Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens...

Slavery, mainly...

Yes, you should. it is the law that if you fall victim of fraud and paid even 1p on credit card, you will be compensated by the credit card company. Guess where this law came from...

It takes a few days to show up in your statement. No need to worry, just keep an eye and you will see it maybe sometime next week.

What he said. I do not see what you have done wrong and what he can reasonably do to make you take it down.

I did not mean it was you who accused me of this. Others have though, and I thought it was unfair, seeing that I used the FT, LSE, official statistics websites etc. Anyway, I do not disagree with you on this. Both sides need to be represented. I had no particular intention to concentrate on the financial aspect of things. My contributions to this thread are mainly responses to issues raised by others. My opinion on post 610 remains the same, as I do believe (I am not certain but I will look into that soon, hopefully) that there are powers built in so that each member state can challenge the implementation of these EU laws from the member state. As I said I am not certain about this, but I recall that this was the case on several instances in the past. Have a good night and all the best.

And? What is the point you are trying to make? These statistics are of the EU as a whole, if I am not mistaken. The original point of contention was when someone mentioned that british people work longer than their French, Italian and other Europeans. I used a few sources to show that this is not the case, and then came the twist about early retirement (that I did say it is a pan European phenomenon, not just French or british). I do not understand in what respect I am trying to portray a part, as you put it. So, what point are you trying to make?

Since you brought up the Greek labour market, I would like to know where you draw the conclusion that part time employment is rare there. I can tell you that you could not be any further from the truth. Like the UK, France and Germany, zero hours contracts, part time work and similar arrangements are very common in Spain, Greece, Italy and Portugal. This is a terrible thing for the working population, as by being part time their employer can avoid paying them the holiday allowance they would otherwise get (proportional to their working hours) as well as other obligations towards their employees. Things are not as black and white as you might see them.

When I post articles I am always accused I use 'leftie' sources (whatever that means). Do you believe the 'article' you are referring to comes from an objective source? If so, I feel continuing this is futile. Best of luck and all the best.

Did you actually see where these statistics came from? Who published them and how they compile their data? I am willing to hear you though, please show me statistics, data or whatever tangible information you have from a reliable source (you must have, since you rejected the ones I posted as unreliable) and let us talk about it.

No. Why do you say that? Do you believe this is not the case? If so, where do you base this assumption? P.S: Is he still around? I thought he disappeared after 'his monumental error of judgement to sell his soul to the devil' (I remember reading this quote in a newspaper and it was attributed to a senior Lib Democrat, I do not remember who).

Possibly, but in come the EU laws that protect the common market from such eventualities. I read somewhere an article about the Chinese 'steel dumping' and how the EU is helping put a curb on it, after the uk and other European economies fell victim to the practice. Too late, you might say. Maybe so, but a lesson learned for other sectors, I hope.

Both of you have a valid point. But is this not something that worries you as consumers? For example rubbish British cars, Leyland cars, and Rootes Group cars, protected from superior and cheaper continental European imports by import duties. Like things were in the past. When a British car lasted three years and then the sills rotted. And the first six year anti-corrosion cars were continental European imports. Volkswagens in fact I think? We will go back to complacent domestic products protected by import duties. The uk will be in a trade war it can't win. For, if the uk wants to selll into the EU it will still have to produce goods to a 'CE Mark' standard. And outside Europe the Chinese and now Ethiopia (in textiles) will undercut the uk. Closing your eyes and ears and singing loudly it does not mean that reality is not taking place. 'Refusing to accept these statistics' is not a valid argument. Of course it is your prerogative, but it makes for a very weak position.

This is what I was hinting at. Thanks. P.S: I am not a socialist,communist,leftie,conservative, nazi or whatever label people like putting on each other. I am just expressing an opinion based on my moral code and the way I understand the world to be.

Why is that? Also, why does the uk not need to trade with the rest of the EU?

It says a lot about the people who think this behaviour is acceptable by their elected representatives, I would add.

That is a valid point. I guess I would go with an interpretation that puts the interests of citizens, workers, people before big employers' drive for profit and the clever ways their lawyers bend the law to achieve it.

I am glad you enjoy the debate. I do not understand how this should be something you can 'use' against my argument. The figures you quote include the uk, I suspect (please correct me if I am wrong). So what is the point you are trying to make?

This, unfortunately is true. I would not say it is because of this law though, I would say that employers will use any lawful means to maximize profit. This is just one of the ways to do it. I have added a few more links. Some of them are a bit more specific. But you are right, there are exceptions in every country, including the uk. That does not say much about the European Worktime Directive though, does it?

Here, here , here, here, here and here. I have done it for you. Enjoy....

This is not the way I understand it. I guess this is why we have a difference of opinion on this.

What business leaders think as fair is not necessarily fair for their workforce though, I am sure you will agree. Maternity and paternity leave are important because they ensure that children have at least one parent with them when they need them the most. Yes, maternity and/or paternity leave might be an inconvenience to an employer, but this is not concerning me at the slightest. I am more interested in a society that is supportive of its working members, and does not punish them (indirectly, but it is still punishment) when they decide to have a family. If maternity and paternity leave were not around, people would be faced with a dilemma work Vs family, depriving society of either a competent and willing member to contribute through their work (with some flexibility, granted) or the population from maintaining itself. For me there is no real issue here. Maternity and paternity leave are important. If we did not have them, women would definitely be discriminated against as they would bear the grunt of bringing their children up at the expense of their professional development, and this would be a huge blow to science, entrepreneurship etc. Disadvantaging (at least) half of your workforce is a dumb move, I am sure you will agree. Of course they should, if uk government is treating its workforce unfairly. I am looking forward to seeing the evidence of this please. Thanks.

You are of course entitled to your opinion. When it comes to hunt, I have not forgotten the BskyB scandal, I am dealing with his attempt to kill of the NHS and sell it off (have you heard of what is happening in Kent? It has already started) and that is enough for me to know a crook when I see one. As for gove's integrity, well. I have not forgotten the £110k limousine bill for him to drive 400 yards to parliament, or when he spent £7,000 on furnishing his London home before “flipping” his Commons allowance to a new property in his Surrey constituency, and claiming £13,000 in moving costs. These men might be examples of integrity to you, to me they are crooks. I respectfully disagree with you on this one.

Welcome to reality.... Check the working hours of a birtish and a Spanish person (as well as the rest of the EU).

Interesting article from the financial times on sovereignty, legislative powers etc: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/26b6a12c-daf2-11e5-a72f-1e7744c66818.html#axzz41Ckd8Cvn