Hour

Some of the frequent visitors of this site may recall the remarkable discussion between the Chief Commander of the Army and the Secretary of Defense of the cabinet. (See http://ccszeto.blogspot.com/2010/01/armor.html and http://ccszeto.blogspot.com/2010/05/blog-post.html)

They had another meeting recently.

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"You know, our soldiers are on the verge of revolution. They are really stretching their limit and could not work for that long an hour any further." The Chief Commander said.

"Don't worry. I have just submitted a brilliant proposal to the cabinet to solve this problem," the senior civil servant tried to pacify his colleague, "In short, every soldier would have a fixed standard working hour each week."

"But, we are in the middle of a war!" The military professional gasped.

"I'm not saying we put up a maximal working hour; anyone who works longer than the standard hours would get extra pay - and a decent one, too." The Secretary explained.

"Em ... It's not the problem of money. They do not have the right to refuse that extra pay, however decent that is, and leave the battlefield after having done with the standard hours," the Commander murmured.

"Don't try to fool me. I've some calculation of my own and it is perfectly workable to put up a 50 or 55-hour-week and covers everything - the need of extra hour is minimal if you put some effort to adjust the duty list." The civil servant was not moved.

The Chief Commander was startled; he found he was talking to an alien.

(To be continued.)