This is where it sucks for me. I’m an optometrist and I own my own practice. If I work less, then I see less patients and I do, indeed, make less. And I can’t just cram more patients into the day because then I can’t really spend time addressing my patients’ concerns. I’d become like all the other docs who people complain about who barely listen to them and get to spend 5 mins with each patient.
On top of all of this, vision plans have not increased reimbursement in 30+ years… so we have college tuition and CoL that has skyrocketed (I just graduated) and reimbursements are stagnant. So where’s the growth for me profession? Vision plans can be great for you, the patient, but they completely screw over the doc that accepts them in most instances. I’ve come across a lot of docs who simply don’t accept most insurances because they bottleneck our income.
Maybe do fewer hours but do them in the evening. Hopefully since people are out of work it becomes easier for them to go, so overall you might have similar numbers.
I have full books for weeks so it’s not a matter of scheduling. It’s a matter of if I work less I make less because that’s one less day every week that I’m seeing less patients. If I’m not seeing patients, I don’t make money
Build class solidarity. Erode the power of insurance companies. Demand reimbursements that cover both your operating expense and personal income. Support other workers. Support every worker. Take down the system.
I think optometry is very slowly headed this way. In the finance group I’m part of I am constantly seeing posts of another OD planning to drop another insurance. It’s hard because there aren’t a lot of really big risk takers in this profession so gaining solidarity of “we refuse to accept this insurance until higher reimbursement negotiations are met” will likely never happen.
Part of the struggle is the older docs who got their entire 8years of college for $20k and then new grads like me paying $250k+ for the same degree. The older docs don’t need to stand up with us younger gens so they don’t. They made their money and just coast now.
The other part is huge corporations owning ALL of it. Luxottica is the reason your eyecare is so expensive. They own the frames, the optical, the lab that cuts your lenses, the products that’s the labs sell, and they own Eyemed (plus multiple others in that umbrella). Private equity and corporations are making optometrists look like fake, cheap docs but our scope of practice is huge. Places like Target optical, lens crafters, Americas best, etc just wants us to be refracting machines (spit out glasses/CL rx constantly) and we barely have time to even assess your health in those exams.
I agree that doctors are unlikely to seek union formation at the current time. I have suggested supporting the working class overall, to help us develop power against the systems that are harmful to us as a class.
I’ve heard that Sweden did a research about 6 hours long work day (not the same thing as less work days I know).
The results were simply that the workers were more happy and more efficient.
They get it, but to them the only good worker is one who is well controlled.
If a work week of thirty two hours would be proved equally productive as one of forty, if most in society would be caused no harm from such a reduction, then workers may begin shortly after to consider a twenty hour work week.
Then, while considered the new objective, workers also may be discovering new opportunities for self care and community care, developing new relationships with hobbies and leisure, and expanding their identities into new facets and in new directions.
After not too much time would pass, a critical mass of workers might start to feel convinced that the whole system is a house of cards, built only on threat and deception, and deserving be dismantled in favor of one that is new and different.
Personally I would much prefer to have a 6h work day or 6,5 hour (for it to be 32h, like the 4-day work week) than to have 8 hours a day for 4 days. I don’t care about having one more day of free time if I still don’t have as much time during 4 days of the week. I would much rather work less time those 5 days so that I actually have time to cook, exercise and do my shit every single day.
I work 7h a day, some day soon I will go to 6.5. I would always choose that over a 4 day work week. Because now I have actual evenings where I can do things. 7 days a week.
I also have noticed that I start wanting something extra from life after a few months of 8h/5d/w.
Nowadays I’m looking for my optimal limits. How much can I do work and still consider myself having enough free time?
The problem most people don’t mention is you need to rope public school into the same equation or else you’re leaving that entire, extremely large, workforce out which involves maintenance, custodians, IT, nurses, useless administration, teachers, etc etc etc.
No one said everybody had to work the same four days. If one custodian works Monday - Thursday and another works Tuesday - Friday, that still covers a full 5 day week. The whole reason for a 4 day work week is that, right now, life is all work all the time. If you work a 9-5 Monday - Friday and you need to go to the doctor, who is only open 9-5 Monday - Friday, the only way to see them is to take time off of work.
This probably won’t happen. Employees these days have no leverage. Unions are not where they used to be. Workers rights are nowhere near strong enough. Until workers have leverage nothing changes. Can’t even stop Rto at this point. Really wish things could change
