Cases of Greece and Sweden Working Conditions Essay

Cases of Greece and Sweden de get uping ascertains psychiatric hospital The essay has three major theatrical roles. The first part analyses Greece working conditions and how political sympathies officials respond to the edit. This is accompanied by a moral assessment of the come on presented in this share. The second part discusses Sweden working conditions, a area which is verbalise to suck up one of the best working conditions around the world. This part analyses the policies passed by the Swedish brass and alone ethical issues arising from such policies. The third part is a personal assessment of the two issues presented parts one and two. This section expends virtues of ethical motive cloth to come up with ethical implications of the issues presented.Working Condition in Greece Greece working standards are relatively lower compared to those of other European countries. Different studies that support this argument have been conducted. From the data provided by the kind Insurance Foundation and cranch Inspectors in Greece, 35.8 pct of the participants in a survey conducted in 2011specified that there were no health and practicedty viands in the firm they worked. 48.7% stated that, to their knowledge, there was no physician delegate to them. In the construction sector, 53.5% had a health and safety provision memorandum while 58.9% in the manufacturing sector had the same. 66.1% of the respondents in the public sector utter they lacked such a document (Alexopoulos 2012, p.115). In its efforts to raise confinement standards in Greece, the Greece administration initiated several reforms. The reforms aimed at improving working conditions in the land and protecting rafts welfare. Greece is of the countries which experienced the wrath of European crisis. The import of the crisis take tremendous changes in the wear upon markets. However, these reforms led to limited defense of workers in the cranch market. This aspect violated bu siness ethics and inseparable fond rights. Law number 3863/2010 introduced fundamental changes in the comminute market. close to of the unfavorable reforms were shortening the period given as a flier to the termination of white-collar workers, reducing white-collar workers reduced by a half, keeping operational costs must(prenominal) between 5% and 10%, which led to layoffs. However, the marginal wage rates for workers under the age of 25 geezerhood reduced to 84% of the set minimum wage. For underage workers, the minimum wage rate set at 70% of the set minimum wage. Apart from the labor market reforms, the government instituted in 2010, service shaves in pension and other important reforms in the social security regulations. The regulations embarrass zero increase in the current pension over the nigh 3 years. For the uninsured persons over the age of 65, their basic pension criteria underwent reforms. The pith of the pension is set at 360. The national budget will finance the pension from the year 2018. Salary cut for employees between 25 years was set between 22% and 32%. The employer can impose this cut without the combine of the employee (Matsaganis 2012, p.450).Analysis of Ethical Implications of Greece Work Policies Greece indemnity makers seem to employ utilitarian rationale, which states that one determines what is right by contrasting the outcome of all related agents of alternative policy for a particular condition (Bentham 2000, p.70). This principle does not take into account all the pot in the familiarity. unwanted policy can be passed which does not returns the society at large. Greece labor laws and polices does not seem to benefit the entire society. On the contrary, they benefit a section of the community. According to (Daluka 2001, p.20) it is right to exercise what is good for the largest race of people. The study reveals that the greatest number of people in the work environs had the health and safety document. Companies in Greece seem to value policies that yield the greatest benefit to the greatest number of people. However, James Rachel, critic of the utilitarian rule, would have argued otherwise. In his criticisms, he points out that, e trulyone is equal and that everybodys happiness is important. The stem of people who lack the document in this case can charter that businesses in Greece did violate business ethics. This means that utilitarianism is not the best framework to formulate rules and regulations which affect the entire society. Labor markets affect the whole parsimony in several ways .This means that if there is a find fault in formulation of labor laws, the economy will experience problems arising from shortfall of labor, a crucial factor in the production process (Rachel 2007, p56). Greece labor reforms further show how the government violates ethics. A salary cut without the swallow of employees is unethical, and violates ethics. However, according to utilitarianism , this might not be a big issue so long as it yields maximum benefits to the largest number of people. According to (Goodin 2007, p.245) utilitarianism as a principle should guide political leaders while reservation decisions that affect the society at large. He points out that leaders must take into account the impacts of the policies they pass on the entire society, other than cerebrate on a small group of people.Working Conditions in Sweden Working conditions in Sweden are one of the best on the planet. This is the case because the government has introduced strict worker-safety and environmental regulations. Its manpower of 4.3 million is disciplined, instructed, and experienced in the puff up-nigh current technologies. About 87 percent of Swedish laborers have a place with a workers party, ostensibly the worlds most astounding rate. In addition, unions are active accomplices with organizations in actualizing to a greater extent proficient projects. Swedish enactment accomm odates work facsimile on the bill of fare of directors of large organizations and obliges administration to arrange with the unions prior to actualizing significant changes. Management-labor cooperation participation is customarily non-conferential, meaning labor strikes are rare in the country (Cox 1950, p.390). in that respect is no fixed minimal wage, and all wages are unyielding through collective bargaining. Since 1991, the real wage increments have surpassed those of most EU nations. As the EMU civil argument picks up force, workers parties are calling for buffer funds, like those made in Finland, as a cushion for benefits funds and other laborer benefits throughout the rupture period to the euro, in cases where there are huge currency fluctuations (Hammarstrm 2013, p.142). Many business spectators, including those from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have suggested virtually crucial labor market changes, including wage differentiation (to reduce labor costs for unskilled jobs). These reforms are an incentive to raise individual competence, step-down of income taxes, making labor unions bears the costs of unemployment in the insurance system, as well as liberalization of labor protection legislation. These measures are believed to increase cleverness and competitiveness. Labor representatives in Sweden complain that such measures would burden workers. On the major Swedens labor- related issue is high levels of unemployment. Within a very short time in the early 1990s, the unemployment rate rose from a level which was considered the lowest in the industrialized world to the normal EU levels, where it stayed until the business cycle improved in 1998-99. By 2000, the unemployment rates were less(prenominal) than 5%. However, the rate was 8.7 percent for those workers allowd in training programs. Swedens government has a plan to reduce the unemployment rate to 4 percent and to guarantee that 80 percent of the working-age populace has a fu ll-time work by 2015 (Drobnic 2012, p.205). judgement of the issue and its ethical Implications A careful scrutiny of Swedens labor laws and policies shows that the policy makers employ social justice. This is clearly visualized the way polices have been formulated. According to (Betham 2000, p.80) social justice scheme asserts that people should exercise fairness in their when dealing with one another. Rawls theory of social justice postulates that the society consists of free and equal persons who must be treated equally in political and socio-economic affairs (Blocker 2000, p.30). Swedish government seems to take into account social justice principles before passing labor regulations. First, the government has come up with strict anti- dissimilitude laws, contained in Swedish Antidiscrimination second of 2009. One of the rules of social justice theory is protection against any form of discrimination. By passing the Act, Swedish legislature took into account the rights and freedoms of workers. Therefore, their rules and decisions are in line with the social justice framework. The Act aims at eliminating discrimination in all places of work. It applies to all employees, employers, and job applications irrespective of whether or not the discrimination is intentional. This means that people expect to be treated with dignity, regardless of their appearing or beliefs. If an employer in Sweden is found discriminating his/her workers, he or she is taked to pay damages. Failure to this, he/she may end up in prison, and this acts as a lesson to all others who practice discrimination. On the other hand, Swedish government has made it mandatory for all workers to belong to a labor union (Blau and Khan 1999, p130). This is aimed at protecting the welfare of all workers in Sweden. This is another dimension of social justice. If a member of the union faces a problem, the union is supposed to take care of him/her. All members of the unions are treated equally. This ensures that all of them have equal representation. Rawls theory disallows unequal representation in political and social matter. Swedish Work Environment imprimatur is governed by the Work Environment Act, which requires employees, employers and equipment suppliers to share responsibility in maintaining safe working conditions. According to this Act, these parties should restrict workplace hazards and prevent accidents. This clearly shows that the policy makers take into devotion the importance of social cooperation. Social justice principles require each person in the society to benefit others, and to prevent harm. This way, social justice is said to prevail in the society.Individual Moral Assessment of the Issue To better understand moral implications of the cases presented preceding(prenominal), a careful abstract using a different ethical framework is necessary. This section discusses how the issues presented above relate to the ethics of virtue framework. Accord ing to Martha Nussbaum arguments, a just society must be characterized by conditions that campaign fundamental entitlements for all people. The entitlements include bodily health, normal life, bodily integrity, senses and imaginations, as well as applicative reason, just to mention a few. Failure to recognize these entitlements constitutes unethical demeanour (Nussbaum 1993, p 89) . Greece law makers seem to deviate from this moral framework. Some of the policies do not take into account virtues of ethics. For example, cutting an employees wage without his/her consent is morally wrong. It hurts ones feeling and violates virtues of ethics such as kindness, prudence, integrity, and more importantly respect. Passing laws that lower peoples welfare is not consistent with the virtue ethics framework. On the other hand, Sweden takes into consideration virtues of ethics framework. The laws and polices discussed above clearly show how that policy makers in the country are very much con cerned with peoples welfare. cosmos mindful of others welfare is a crucial virtue. It ensures respect in the society and promotes justice. Moreover, Swedish government promotes fairness in workers representation. Again, this is a clear indication of the governments commitment to promote virtues which promote peoples moral excellence and their well-being.Conclusion From the analysis presented in this musical theme, it is clear that governments across the world employ different ethical frameworks when formulating their policies. The tubercle between Greece and Sweden working condition reveals that different countries value different policies. However, the paper points out several unethical practices in Greece. On the other hand, Sweden government seems to follow ethics when drafting their laws and regulations. In addition to this, the paper reveals that people and companies ethical understanding across the world tend to be influenced by governments actions. This means that Swedis h citizens tend to practice ethics more than Greece citizens.References Alexopoulos, E. (2012), Sickness absence in the private sector of Greece examine shipyard industry and national insurance data, International journal of environmental look for and public health , journal of Social Affairs, Vol. 34, pp, 1171-1181.Betham, J.(2000), Principles of Morals and Legislation,Principles of Morals and Legislation. Newyork Botache Books, pp.78-85.Blau, F., and Khan, L. (1999), Institutions and laws in the labor market Handbook of labor economics, vol.3, pp.130-140.Blocker, G. and Elizabeth S. (2000), John Rawls theory of social justice, Sages Journals ,pp. 24-34.Cox, A.,(1950), Regulation of Collective Bargaining by the National Labor Relations Board Harvard Law Review, pp.389-432.Daluka, F. (2001), Global Ethics and Business A philosophical Approach, Global Ethics and Business A Philosophical Approach, Cambridge Cambridge University Press, pp. 17-20.Drobni, S.(2012), Good job, good lif e? Working conditions and quality of life in Europe, Social indicators research, pp.205.Gordin, S. (2007), Utilitarianism as a public philosophy, Cambridge Cambridge University Press.,Hammarstrm, A. (2013), Higher culture and psychological distress A 27-year prospective cohort study in Sweden, Scandinavian journal of public health. Pp.140-145.Matsaganis, M..(2012), Social policy in unverbalized times The case of Greece, Critical Social Policy, pp.406-421.Nussbaum, M. (1993), The quality of life, NewYork Oxford University Press.Rachel, J.(2007), Utilitarianism for and against, Havard Journal Of Business Affairs, pp. 56Source document