U.S. Productivity Far Outpacing Europe

Here is one good reason why the U.S. productivity rate is generally higher than that of Europe.

Europe heads to beach, Americans head to work

As Europe's workers take a few weeks of holiday this summer, their American colleagues will be lucky to get a few days off work, says a report published by the European Trade Union Institute.

Finland, followed by France, offers working people the most statutory vacation, at more than six weeks per year, the report, an international snapshot of how much paid leave people get by law and in practice in 21 countries, says.

The United States is the only country where employees have no statutory leave, and they get about half as much time off in reality as Europeans get, according to the report, compiled by the Washington-based Centre for Economic Policy Research.

Of course, the socialists at Reuters write this up with a critical attitude toward the U.S.

"The United States is in a class of its own," the report says. "It is the no-vacation nation."

Andrew Watt, an economist at the Brussels-based European Trade Union Institute, said the report not only highlighted a conscious decision to ensure more free time in Europe. It also showed the errors many economists make when saying U.S. productivity and economic output is better than Europe's.

Errors? Errors! Errors?!? U.S. productivity and output is better than Europe's over time, pure and simple. One of the reason why the U.S. has historically seen higher productivity rates than Europe is we work harder than they do. Six weeks a year vacation? My gosh, if I have any employees that can be gone six weeks a year every year, then I don't need that position to begin with.

This argument reminds me of the sleazy sports agents who whine their client should get paid top dollar even though he sits out half the season every year with minor problems, that but for the injury time off he would be top producer. Maybe, but the fact remains that he took the time off and did not produce.

The market compensates you for the true value of your productivity. You will always see socialists refusing to accept that reality.