Adios siesta?

[Myrtle Hogan-Lance]

While many of us find the siesta hours maddening and archaic beyond belief, does anybody believe that Rajoy will be successful in getting rid of them?  He says he is going to.

This would free up space in my brain, as currently, I have memorised the opening hours of every establishment I frequent.  I could use that space to store something else, what fun. 

By the way, I really hate the way they depict Spaniards in the press.  The article says that most Spanish workers start at 10.00.  Bull!  Most of them start by 08.00, and the coffee break is at 10.00.  Then they are on til 13.00/14.00, and back anywhere from 15.00 to 17.00, until the end of the day.  The Spanish work as many hours as anybody, in my opinion.

[Janet]

They work some of the longest hours in Europe, and so possibly in the world ... though the presenteeism culture means they're not actually "working" all the time. But having to be there, all those hours, is in part because of the assumption that they will be taking a siesta ... and many don't any more. I would say that most don't any more, at least not in the bigger businesses.

And so even if Rajoy is successful I doubt it'll have much effect. I suspect that small businesses will still close when they feel like it anyway!

For me, the more interesting part of what he's talking about is the proposal to bring Spanish time into line with GMT, rather than staying out of sync in order to be in line with Nazi Germany, which hasn't been around for, like, 70 years or so ...

For us in the Canaries, therefore, where shops often already close when they feel like it, and where we're already in line with GMT, I don't see much chance of much change ... and this all assumes that Rajoy is going to be in any position at all to pass any sort of legislation ...

[Perikles]

The article says that most Spanish workers start at 10.00.  Bull!  Most of them start by 08.00, and the coffee break is at 10.00.  Then they are on til 13.00/14.00, and back anywhere from 15.00 to 17.00, until the end of the day.  The Spanish work as many hours as anybody, in my opinion.

I think it's more accurate to call it a meal break at 10.00 - they work a couple of hours and then stoke up on food. In my limited experience, I have know all Romanian workers to have a break at 14.00, then work until 17.00 or 18.00, but I have never seen a Canarian work later than 14.00. Never.

Edit: my comments are meant for workers/labourers. Those in offices do absolutely fuck all for quite a few more hours.