What's a couple more years?

(AFP/Remy Gabalda) copied from here

A hotly-debated pension reform bill has recently passed in France. One of the main provisions was changing the retirement age from 60 to 62, which happens to be Early Retirement age here in the U.S.

Public opinion in France was against the change, but the Government went ahead, citing the need to make the change because of increasing debt and people who just keep living longer.

What I find somewhat humorous is that some of the most vocal protestors are high school students. 60 must seem ancient to them, and 62 is like having one foot in the grave already!

In reading some recent research on work attitudes, specifically about retirement, it is interesting that a vast majority of workers do not actually retire when they are eligible to do so, even when they have sufficient funds to live comfortably without working. Many workers even choose to return to work after retirement because they need the structure, fulfillment and meaning that work brings to their lives.

But I suppose that even if most workers continue working past the age of retirement, they would prefer to have that choice of retirement, instead of being forced to work a couple of extra years.

Throwing Back a Cold One is Put on Ice

If you are like most people, when you think of the perks or benefits associated with your job, you might think about your 401k, insurance, bonuses, employee discounts or paid time off. But if you worked at Carlsberg Breweries in Denmark, you could add a unique perk to your list: the right to throw back a cold one at any time during the work day - at least until recently.

Workers at the brewery recently went on strike when company management unilaterally restricted the workers' right to drink beer on the job to only three pints per day, and only during breaks and lunch. I guess before that, the workers could enjoy a brewski pretty much anytime during their shift. And according to quotes from the Wall Street Journal article, this included forklift operators and truck drivers (who can still drink their three pints a day, as long as they can pass the Alcolock breathalyzer safety device for their vehicle).

Sounds to me like a non-stop party and/or accident waiting to happen. But representatives for the company claim that they have a low accident rate related to alcohol, and the change was made more because of recent studies that linked alcohol consumption with lower productivity.

For now, the workers have temporarily ended their strike, and management has agreed to revisit the restriction and negotiate with employees. Keep an eye on this story as it keeps brewing. (Sorry, I couldn't resist!)