i live near 2 air base in germany and i know soldiers from 30 years ago with their big cars and playing the big guy... nowadays they have so less money, that they cant leave the air base and drive the cheapest car avalieable...
I am born 86 in Germany. I had it believed. Your Problem are the 50% of Americans they like Trump! This is a inner fight. That can only repair youself.
True. The USA are not a democracy but an oligarchy. Why? Because you have to have at least 300 milllion dollars to -buy the presidency- run for office. Several US universities have confirmed that many years ago already.
@@jsb7975 Yes, things have change. Now one party striped women from their rights, try to kick people from voting lists and want to crown their nominee as a king in order for him to avoid jail for his crimes.
Comparing living situations that we deal with hear to slavery conditions seems like a very very far stretch. I get your point, but let's compare apples to apples. I've worked some of the worst jobs in existence. Never felt like slavery
@@RNTV Letting a few people make money with many people's health makes people equal to merchandise. It's not so far from slavery in concept. You don't need shackles and whips for that, just exploiting people's basic needs is enough.
@@RNTV It's not that far off the truth if you look at how the US system works, heck even health care is tied to your job through insurance, it's easy to see how businesses can abuse that by lowering conditions and pay because workers can't afford to lose there jobs of risk of losing there health insurance. I wouldn't call it slavery but it's not far off as it puts a lot of pressure on Americans to accept any job, even if the pay is crap and then the fear factor of losing your insurance by losing your job, means you're willing to accept worse conditions, by many definitions, it is slavery and I do agree with him that slavery didn't end, it just shifted towards the corporate model and expanded to the majority of the population. This isn't normal in almost every other modern country.
Going out on a limb here. In Europe and other countries who take care of their citizens, we are brought up in a "we/us" society. America is a "ME and MY rights" society. As a Dane, I'm hopeful that future generations in America will be able to make a change. By watching and reflecting on videos like this, you're already on your way. Thank you both 😊
Da jeg boede i Danmark... anyway, Jylands Posten published some silly inflammatory cartoons about Mohammed. They caused riots in the Mid-east and a Danish Embassy was burned. The defenders of the cartoons said they were defenders of "free speech." People died. Just because one CAN do something doesn't mean one should. Anyway, I lived there for ten years. Denmark works very well. For Danes. Not so well for foreigners.
I read somewhere a while ago that in the USA, it's more about "the freedom *_to_* xyz", while in Europe, it's more abut "the freedom *_from_* xyz". The most blatant example would be the "freedom to run around with a fully automatic weapon" vs. "the freedom from other people running around with fully automatic weaons". Or "the freedom to abuse others" vs. "the freedom from getting abused by others" (always talking about freedoms that the government is responsible for enforcing).
Not sure why you would be embarrassed about working for McDonald's, to me anyone who gets out of their bed to support their families deserves nothing but respect no matter what they do.
_"to me anyone who gets out of their bed to support their families deserves nothing but respect no matter what they do."_ Well, mobster enforcers also get out of bed to suport their families (both their "actual" family as well as their criminal "family"), but I have no respect for them... There are also _some_ people who are slugging around doing really shoddy work at the expense of others (either their customers, or their fellow workers who effectively have to do _their_ job as well). But other than exceptions like this, yep, fully agreed ☺
No country can claim to be the greatest in the world, It's arrogant to even say so, and even thought there is the greatest, it really depends on how what you define as being great, but one thing I do know, the US is clearly not the greatest, it's got too many flaws compared to other modern countries that I wouldn't even say the US holds up that well against other modern countries, especially when it comes to quality of life.
Some pollies here in Australia have started pushing this bullshit over here. "Australia is the best country in the world" Like fecking NO IT ISN'T. Australia ain't even top 10 any more.
It is if you're a woman, yes northern Europe is also a good place for a woman to be, but I think Madonna put it well "I love America because it's the country where I've been able to do what I've done"
The richness of a country should be judged not on the bank accounts of its most advantaged citizens, but on the quality of life of its most disadvantaged citizens.
“No society can legitimately call itself civilized if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means.” This quote from the founder of the NHS is at the heart of our social democracy here in the UK. The US should have voted for Bernie Sanders: he is considered far left there but his ideas are mainstream here in Europe.
@@jimpalmer9263 Mainstream here in Australia too. I still don't understand why Bernie Sanders was overlooked. He would've changed the USA for the better for sure
Yes, Sanders would have been a normal danish Social Democrat. Actually he`s good friends with some of our Social Democratic politicians, and often visits here.
Our NHS is a complete mess and it’s not for lack of money, it needs a complete overhaul. It has been for many decades a postcode lottery if you could get treatment for certain medical conditions. Now people are dying waiting to be seen, people are spending days on trolleys in A and E not getting on a proper ward, some are dying there. My father in law has this happen to him recently, also in hospital my husband realised three weeks in they haven’t been brushing his teeth. Now in a half way home, my husband goes every day finds they haven’t got he out of bed some days, no underwear on or protection, and he’s wet or worse. So my husband ends up cleaning and changing him, brushing his teeth and giving him a shave everyday. He has to ask all the time why is he still in bed, has he had a walk today, he has to brush his teeth and shave him. This is basic nursing, what if a person has no family or they can’t go everyday?
@@jemmajames6719 It's for the money being redirected into privatisation companies and management, rather than being allocated where it is needed and a key thing was the stopping of training bursaries for nurses and doctors.
As a British person who has spent years visiting and working in the USA I have but one comment. Every time I tried to explain workers rights, maternity leave and a comprehensive medical system I was told that we are lazy communists! This comes from people who have no idea what communism actually is. I had three stents inserted in my heart when I had a heart attack in Italy - completely free. in Spain I have had cardiology care, dermatology care (skin cancer), pins inserted in my ankle and many other things - all free. For a predominantly Christian country, especially right-wing evangelists, I'm surprised that they don't follow the words and actions of Jesus. He was basically in his actions a socialist,even if at the time this term was not used.
Australian here, we get holiday pay, sick leave, etc etc, - and our affordable healthcare comes from our taxes. Americans pay taxes as well, for what? Definitely not their health and work situations. And I have been called a communist and socialist by a few Americans. They don’t understand their companies are ruling the country re their wages etc and not their government, let alone unions who fight for workers basic rights and fair wages etc.
Oh my god I've never thought about it that way but yup Jesus was a socialist, didn't he even have a whole thing about profiteering and selfishness when it came to money? I'm not all up on the Bible but I'm sure I remember something like that as a kid.
Socialism is the economic system associated with communisim, which was a total failure because none of the communist countries ever got beyond the dictatorship stage. What democratic countries have are SOCIAL BENEFITS. All of these countries have a free-.market economy.
@@geraldinegaynor1360 No it's not. Socialism is the economic system where everyone works a job according to the government, which is what Marx and Engels proposed in their failed Communist Manisfesto. There is no "sharing" except in private donations in democratic countries. Interestingly, in the USA such donations are generous. To force "sharing", democracies collects income tax and the tax rate increases with income. What America and Europe need to do is force a one-time wealth tax on everyone with an income of more than 25 million dollars and make the oil companies pay a windfall tax because they made records profits during the pandemic and they are still making record profits because the price of gasoline and oil has not come down. They can blame OPEC all they want to, but you can take a look at Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon-Mobil annual reports.
A common argument in the US is that if you give people free stuff then they will just abuse the system. I don't have the details to hand, but a Finnish guy who started a business in the US decided to apply Finnish employment practices (even though he obviously didn't have to) -- fair wages, unlimited sick leave, weeks of paid vacation, paid maternity leave -- and was told that he was crazy, because his workers would just rip him off. Guess what? His employees were happy and loyal, productivity was excellent and the business did really well.
A few years ago, German car manufacturers in the USA wanted to introduce works councils* based on the German model. Their employees had to join a union before this was possible. * In German labor law, union membership is not mandatory in order to establish a works council. If there are 5 employees, at least 3 must be eligible. The number of works council members to be elected varies depending on the total number of employees. If there are 200 employees or more, the law provides for a number of works council members to be exempted from work. Those who are not exempted are subject to time off work for their duties = attending meetings and committees. In my company last year there were 29 works council members, 7 of whom were exempted.
@@markfeland2285 Didn't say it was a problem. Just stating part of the story jaak left out. Too many Americans live in a bubble & just don't get that they're worse off as a whole in many areas.
Yet, the Americans are still bragging about how free they are. Whenever an American says that we have the number one freedom in the world, I cringe.🤦♂
Tell the to Sleepy Joe, who always say USA is the greatest country blah blah blah. USA is not the greatest or was the greatest country it was all a facade and soft power marketing like Hollywood and Burgers.
the thing that bothers me the most about Americans reacting to this video, is when they get to talking about the 'work life balance' section, what 95% of the world considers basic human rights and things that government should provide from taxation, Americans think of as 'benefits', like the employer is doing you a favour by providing these services, it blows my mind how actually backwards America is, and why I always refer to it as the richest thrid world country on earth.
What bothers me is that American corporations operating in other countries try to operate the same as they do in the US. When they can't they start lobbying those other govts for re-regulation, funding parties that lean that way, providing consultancies that offer dirty tricks, advocating winning elections at ALL costs, bribing officials, undermining media, promoting right wing media. campaigning against unions, - in some countries funding murder of unionists /environmentalists- ( see 'killer coke') Any pushback is interpreted as anti-American and before you know it you have CIA interference. This is why South America is in such a poor state fuelling drugs and emigration..
That is not true. Federal Labors laws are very specific and state labor laws can add even more rules. As for your 95% of the world, that's total B.S. A whopping SEVENTY-TWO PERCENT of the world's population live in autocratic dictatorships. As for third-world, you clearly have no idea what the word means.
German here! You know what’s weird! We are also a free country! Free speech, freedom from illegal searches and seizures, freedom of the press we have it all.
@@davidyohalem629 Wrong. Janteloven is meant to remind you that even though you may have a better job than someone else, or have more money, you are not more important than other people. So no need to brag or think more highly of yourself, compared to others. We are all in it together.
Lots of people do ‘fill in’ jobs here in the UK, commonly stacking shelves in a supermarket. It should be applauded for not just sitting at home! $15 is the UK minimum wage now - plus the first $16,200 is tax free. Then, health care, 5 weeks holiday plus statutory holidays all included! You ain’t doing too well over there!
Lack of knowledge, poor regulation protections, corruption and isolation... yeah average Americans are isolated by our institutions so we remain ignorant and complacent
Where the voting members of the Tory party (about 150,000 people) can select Liz Truss to be PM? She didn't last as long as a head of lettuce. Britain is far more structurally messed up (post-Brexit) than the US. The UK is a bad example for dumping on the States. Labour is now suffering the consequences of the last 15 years of Conservative misrule (rather like Biden has suffered following TFG.)
Great reaction video. I’m in the uk and a few weeks ago I was threatened with a warning at work if I DIDNT book at least 75% of my holiday hours. I was furious! How dare they!?? For NOT booking my holidays, I would get into trouble, how was that fair??? Now.. after watching this, I’ll never complain again.
In the Czech Republic, maternity leave is 3 years, the company holds a place for you and the child is paid state health insurance until the age of 18, or until 25 if he is studying.
I,m currently on immunotherapy. I was diagnosed with cancer in august last year. I have had 3 biopsies, 4 CT scans, 1 ultrasound scan. My cancer is metatastic. I,m being looked after by some wonderful people and I have no words to explain how grateful I am. Actual cost for all this? A payment from my wages that nobody in my country grudges so actually when I needed help it cost me £0.
Take care! Where do you live? I live in Uruguay and my case is similar to yours, except I don't have metastasic cancer. I had chemotherapy and immunotherapy, several scans and I had to pay nothing! In our country, it is mandatory that every employee has medical care, which is financed by a small monthly payment taken from the employees salary and a larger amount paid by the employers. We have 20 days paid vacations if we work full time (usually 40 hours a week) or less if we are temporary workes. 90 days paid maternity leave. Also, we have a bonus called "aguinaldo" which is a 13th salary paid yearly. And I assure you Uruguay is a very, very small country in population. Only 3.5 million and we are not a rich country. But social laws, women's vote, and several other benefits have been instated for over a century. This extreme capitalism has really drowned the American worker! And I truly don't understand why working in a fast food chain is viewed as diminishing. Work is work and everyone should be proud and grateful to have a job.
I had a bone marrow biopsy and was diagnosed with MDS, a blood cancer in May of 2020. My initial consult which lasted for 30 minutes cost $7,500 dollars or at the exchange rate today, that's 5,800 pounds for a 30-minute visit. Since my diagnosis 4 years ago I have spent over $35000 dollars and that is just to be followed by a doctor every 4 months. Right now, I am still in the stage before treatment, so I am terrified of the cost of treatment if just 12 visits and the attending blood lab work has run me $35,000 (roughly 27,000 pounds). I can only imagine what it will be with transfusion dependency, chemotherapy and medications, and an eventual stem cell transplant.
@@briansharvill1794 That's outrageous ! Oncology treatments, consults and medication should be free or available to everyone for a small payment, affordable to most people. Wish you the best with your treatment and a good outcome!
American here, my mom spent most of her life working between 50-80 hours a week. Now that she's about to retire, we're planning on leaving the US so I can look for a professional job in Europe and she can spend the last years of her life in peace. Yes, Europe definitely isn't perfect, but I refuse to slave away the rest of my youth here.
So she will be doing what most Americans complain about. Mooching immigrant, looking for free healthcare and benefits. Working those hours a week in the US do not validate all those benefits in Europe.
@@BergenDev les soins ne sont pas gratuits, un prélèvement en pourcentage sur les salaires est fait, de cette façon tout le monde paie pour tout le monde, ça s'appelle la solidarité ....
I have said it before, MONEY IS GOD IN AMERICA. And the people with all the money make the rules. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the rest just survive.
Its important to mention the benefits European workers receive was not given to us by the goverment, it was fought for through the labour movement. And thats the only way it can happen in America too.
There should be a corporate tax of 50% so Google can charge you $1.00 for each minute you are on UA-cam. Do you expect the elite left to go without? Will it be only one bedroom apartments in Silicon Valley? Your a fool.
UK Citizen here. When I broke my arm, not only did I receive medical treatment completely free including an ambulance ride, hospital stay, surgery, and physiotherapy. But the government paid me £4,000 to live on, because I couldn't work whilst my arm healed. Imagine that, a government that takes care of its citizens.
My wife and I moved from Seattle to Norway in 1985 and have never regretted it. When we moved here and people asked why we moved to Norway, we said we were Reagan refugees and the Norwegians laughed. We've visited the US about every 5 years or so. The last two times have convinced us that we are not moving back to the US. I have lived all over the US and see how non regulation of capitalism as ruined the expectation of "upward mobility" the US used to have.
Aussie here. Our minimum wage is $24.10 AUD ph, regardless of the job. I was diagnosed with MS in 2012 - my monthly infusion, neurologist 3 x a year, home help 10hrs per week, social outings 4hrs per week, 2 x MRIs a year, 3 x JCV blood tests per year, occupational therapy when needed, speech therapy when needed, mental health therapist if needed, all costs me $0. My Aussie government pay approx $90 grand per year to keep me alive and living in my own home. If I was American, you may as well have just given me a wooden box. So glad I'm Australian 😊
I'd 100% be dead if I lived in the USA. Been dealing with depression and severe insomnia for almost 15 years and chronic fatigue for 10 years. Tried everything possible to treat/fix it, but the chronic fatigue diagnoses basically sealed the fact I was never getting truly better. Been on disability pension for 5 years, which makes my various meds SO much cheaper, as well as getting Medicare rebates for my psychiatrist and psychologist appointments. In the USA I would've sent my family bankrupt with my medical shit - I've had various stays in private mental institutions for a month at a time, and our health insurance paid for ALL of it. US health insurance is so broken and screwed up to me.
@@jessbellis9510 We're lucky people to be Australian, that's for sure. Good luck with your struggles darlin, and don't ever think that you're alone, because you're not 🤗 Chronic fatigue is part of MS, so I know that struggle very well. I also have a few side conditions from the MS - Thermo Nuclear Dysfunction (my body can't regulate temperature anymore), optic neuritis, permanent nerve pain in my right side and acute vertigo (I just finished a 7 week episode 2 weeks ago). So I feel ya hon. Sending hugs and understanding your way ❤🤗
@@roslynjonsson2383right on im Australian i don't have much work experience yet (because im 19) so im not an expert but i was getting paid $25 an hour at my dad's factory when i soon learned about the 8 dollor minimum wage in America i decided nope im never going to America which is upsetting because when i was a kid i looked up too the usa
@RNTV Unfortunately, media is caling politicians who propose good social democratic mesures left wing lunatics. Guys, you should vote for real social democrats like Sanders and AOC. In EU, those politicians would be considered as centers, center right politicians. The problem in Europe is that our politicians try to copy US politicians, and we could lose some benefits. 😢😢😢
I live in Norway, we have a capitalist/social society.We are a wealthy country,where the high taxes goes to benefits for all.That's why I like paying my taxes.
Overall, same for me here in Germany. Yes, the actual distribution of those taxes is always an issue, and as far as I'm concerned, it's being handled worse here than in Skandinavia, but it's still "good enough" that I like paying my taxes. Hell, I haven't even "done my taxes", ever, even though I'd definitely get at least some money back every year - for one, I'm too lazy to bother with the additional effort, but more so, I'm fine _not_ getting anything back in the hope that even that little bit will help just a tiny bit to improve the overall financial situation of the society that I live in.
I am an American who moved to Europe over 20 years ago. I found an admin entry level job within a couple of weeks. I automatically recieved paid sick leave and had 21 paid vacation days. My father worked for a company in the US for over 20 years before his death and had only 10 paid days of vacation.
I have lived in Denmark for 53 years. Don't have a lot of money but I wake up every morning, feeling lucky and grateful for being born here. I really have sympathy for the average American and I sincerely hope that things will change to the better for you
I have Danish Ancestry on my Dad's side & German on my mum's. I love being a European, I was disgusted when people in the UK voted to leave. I have always felt European & I love my Scandinavian Danish & German heritage. Much love to you in mother Denmark
‘The Majority (?) of Americans believe in a vision of America that doesn’t actually exist.’ It’s a vision of America; if it existed, it would be reality rather than a vision.
I agree what's shocking is that Americans are blown away by paid maternity leave and vacation time - these really are human rights. We have about 5 or 6 colleagues who come and work at our UK office and live in the UK for a year or two each year as we are an Anglo American company. Literally when they start they all have an additional half day in their onboarding program as we found they were not using their vacation days, sick days etc not to mention not going to hospitals or seeing a Dr if they are sick. So we have to reinforce this is their right and medical care is free so they should use it. One of my American colleagues who I'm still friends with now, was literally stunned because she got prescribed medicine for her Acne and all it cost her was £9 for the entire three month course. She was telling everyone - and we were all like, yeah that's right, that's normal - she thought the pharmacist had made a mistake!. Then she told us back in the States the same medicine (not to mention the cost of seeing a Dr) would cost her $1,725 which is why she hadn't got it before at home.
Recently got out of hospital after a motorcycle accident. Transport, mri scans, food, medication, surgery and furniture (commode, chairs etc) delivered to my house. My bill £0. Ive been off work for 2 months so far, im still getting paid and have no idea when I'll be returning. I'm not worried about it either.
Population size doesnt matter. All of europe over 400 million. Have more than 6 weeks paid time off, unlimited sick days (duhh). Over a year paid maternity and paternity etc
@matthewcharles5867 not really? Whenever an argument is conceived as to why the US can't bring itself to give the same rights, the go to is either the size of the US(Which is smaller then Europe) or the population of the US, since they think theirs is bigger then ours. Making these statistics quite relevant.
Yes really silly to justify that. The person is talking about the right pay to employees of McDonald's that is a billion company so money is no a problem to them is creedy that is the problem 😮
No one in the UK even knows what medical debt is, the concept hasn't existed for over 75 years. The concept of paying is absurd, do american hospitals really have places to pay, theres no systems or infrastructure for taking payments in uk hospitals or doctors its a wild concept to us.
if you are in the hospital they come to your room and ask for payment or some sort of "deposit". you always get a visit from the financial office in the first 24-48 hours. Failure to pay means the end of your stay as soon as you are "stabilized".
I wish I could believe you ! I’m in debt to the dentist and to the eye people…. the NHS is being sold slowly and stealthily to American healthcare. We are far too complacent in the UK.
@@Muckylittleme créeme eso siempre es un mal paso, no deberíamos permitir la sanidad privada nunca porque acabas pagando con fondos públicos parte de un negocio privado, los que quieran tener un negocio privado que se lo paguen ellos que para ellos son los beneficios, aquí en España tratan de privatizar cada vez más la sanidad pública siendo una de las mejores del mundo y gratuita( con los impuestos, claro), para conseguirlo se recortan gastos de inversión ena pública con lo cual se genera falta de personal médico, atraso en las visitas,etc. Sin embargo la privada recibe financiación pública así como la educación con lo cual son derechos esenciales que se deterioran con el tiempo hasta que los perdamos, curiosamente los impuestos no bajan los pagas multiplicados por dos,la parte que va a la pública más la parte que destinen a la privada ,todo para satisfacer a los empresarios que quieren hacer negocio con los derechos más básicos de las personas, que son los que nadie puede prescindir de ellos , todos comemos, necesitamos educación, salud, etc para nosotros y para ellos porque somos los que mantenemos nuestros países y somos tan poco críticos que eso nos parece normal
I'm an Australian and we have such a different attitude to what our society means to us. It's there for all of us, together. That's what mateship is all about. I have actually enjoyed listening to you both learn and discover the colour of our world and respond with well-articulated, intelligent and most of all considered and considerate thoughts. I like that a lot.
Yeah there’s always emphasis put on this so called “special relationship” between us in the UK and the USA and how we are each other greatest allies. But I think most of us in the U.K. would definitely feel more aligned and have more things in common with the Aussies - similar values and don’t mind calling each other cnuts or whatever as a terms of endearment.
I am an Aussie, originally from the other parts of the world. I am really proud of the country I adopted and would do anything to protect the way of Aussie lives. We are really a great nation who care for humanity.
In NZ, by law workers are entitled to 20 days (4 weeks) annual leave + sick leave, bereavement leave, + 13 public holidays + family violence leave + parental leave (caring for a new child) Can cash up not more than 1 week of annual leave because the purpose of annual leave is to take rests from work. The above are minimum requirement by law. An employer can offer more than the minimum including superannuation, long service leave or any other perks.
Just so you understand, here in Australia and many other countries, we have laws that protect citizens by having a basic wage set for each type of job. An employer can pay more than the basic wage but they’re not allowed to pay less than it, which means you can afford to live in a rented room at the very least, and pay for utilities, food and clothing etc. We have laws that govern employers and employees, annual leave, parental leave, sick leave and special leave. The law protects us and keeps us safe as citizens, including our food laws etc.
Same here in Germany, but there is one problem that's probably far more common here than in Australia - people from neighboring countries where the minimum wage is much lower get sent here to work for less than _our_ minimum wage. There _is_ a relatively recent (European) law that says that anyone working within the borders of a specific country needs to be paid the minimum wage of that country, but _enforcing_ that is a huge issue, especially when the actual employees are either ignorant about their rights, or are hiding their low pay from the police due to a fear of losing their _relatively_ well-paid jobs (I'd have to dig up real numbers, but imagine someone getting paid 4 times as much as a comparable job would pay in _their_ country, while they would actually have to get paid 6 times as much - but if they complain and insist on their right, they get fired and need to work a much worse-paid job, while someone else is already waiting in line to take over theirs; so of course they don't complain). And controlling the businesses is outside German jurisdiction, that's up to the country that business is located in - and they often don't care enough or get bribed, it's not an actual problem for them afterall, on the contrary, it brings in money - it's "only" a problem for German businesses competing with those who can offer the same for less money due to lower wages.
What's considered "benefits" in the US, like vacation time, parental leave etc is considered rights in Europe. No one here is like "My company is _giving_ me vacation time, or parental leave. It's just expected, they have to. It's laws and unions that gives us that. Governments and politicians that aren't in the pockets of the corporations. Don't Americans really like to say like "We the People", but is it just empty words? What power does the people really have, when the people are so dependant on the corporations, even for their health? It's like you're at their mercy, and has to be grateful for what you get.
Yeah. In Finland our benefits (on top of those mandatory rights) would be something like private health care and other health/self-care advantages, gym memberships and so on. Perhaps free/cheap(er) public transportation. Not that every company provides any but most larger ones that have actual hr departments do.
As far as I can tell (after some 15 years of looking a bit more closely at the USA, though always just "from the outside"), a _lot_ of US Americans are all too similar to people in North Korea: Completely ignorant about pretty much anything outside their small bubble, with at least _some_ level of indoctrination - and constant reinforcement and social pressure - to see that small bubble as the best that there is, so that they remain _wilfully_ ignorant about the rest of the world...
I'm a Swede in TN.I just read in the Swedish news that grandparents will soon be able to get paid parental leave when helping out with their grandchildren.Really groundbreaking and pretty darn cool imo.Great reaction as always,be safe down there and stay hydrated 🌞
Australia for many years. The Additional Child Care Subsidy Grandparent helps some grandparents and great-grandparents pay for approved child care for their grandchild or great-grandchild. To receive the Grandparent Subsidy, you or your partner must: Be eligible for the Child Care Subsidy. Get an income support payment (e.g. the age pension)
@bevhowell7665 That's awesome.Australia seems like a country that actually cares about its people.I'm only 5 years old in the US,but my feeling is that the people running this place couldn't care less about it's citizens......
Germany here. First I have to make a demarcation as there are 2 laws around the birth of a child: 1) Mandatory Maternity leave (mother protection act): The mother has to stay at home (for the health of her & the baby) 6 weeks before due date and 8 weeks after giving birth. (Full payment by the healthcare provider). 2) Parental leave (more accurate ;-) parental child rearing time) This was implemented about 35 years ago. Also included are grand-parents, other family members, long-term foster parents (e.g. when the birth parents refuse an adoption) and parents with an adopted child up to 8/18 years (the latter only in extrem situations). It all depends on who has official custody over a child. The only big difference in this law between then and now is, that parents are allowed to switch up to 2 times (e.g. mother-father-mother) and that companies have to give fathers the same possibilities and rights as mothers. BTW there is no difference in this law between hetero- or same-sex-parents! (Just a statement for absolute clarification!) The parent gets its payment from the goverment for at least 14 months. Included thereby are health care and pension dues. The max. time frame is 3 years per child. There are more regulations in those laws, but that would go into the fine details and make for a too long comment ;-) Take care
I've conducted many interviews in my high tech industry for engineers - people with PhDs. I often see a section of their CV (resume) where there is something like McDonalds or a Tesco cashier. For me this is a huge plus, not a negative. Life happens to all of us, and being prepared to roll up our sleeves and deal with it will always attract me to that person.
I’m so glad you said that, I got my degree through the open university here in the UK and I thought that getting my degree that way would hold me back. I thought that people would see it in a lesser light than if I had attended Uni. But I got my degree in my late thirties whilst working to support myself and my family. I was so surprised that I got the first post I applied for. Move on some years and I was chatting to the ‘big boss’ at a function and I mentioned this. He said that the way I got my degree was seen as a plus, that it showed dedication and determination. I had never looked at it that way, it was simply the only way I knew I could progress.
I work in local government and just had my first child with my wife. My job is an outlier in the US where I did get 6 weeks of paid parental leave even though my wife who works for a private company only gets 4 weeks. I also get 4 weeks of Vacation per year and 2 weeks of sick leave. I wish more Americans had access to benefits like this.
I am currently experiencing the sickness system in Germany myself. I had a traffic accident at the beginning of May, my shin was broken. I was taken to hospital in an ambulance, was there for 2 weeks, had an operation (with everything that entails), now have physiotherapy and am on sick leave until at least the end of July. I also continue to receive my salary (the first 6 weeks from my employer, then from the health insurance fund). Even my employer says "just stay at home and get well first" (although I could work from home). How much has it cost me so far, including medicine? Nothing, not a cent.
@@adzijderlaan7070 No, I don't need to worry about any bills, that's true. What people in the USA don't understand is, yes, you in Europe pay more taxes than we do. But we also get a lot back that you don't get in the USA. We don't pay 10 - 12000 dollars a year for school or university, We don't pay the doctor's bill, We don't have horrendous hospital bills, several 100,000 dollars for a hospital room alone is criminal. We do not pay overpriced sums for medicine. The whole system in the USA is total exploitation
Nope, the compulsory health insurances are not paid for by the tax payer, they are paid for by employers and employees at a fixed percentage of our monthly income. And our employers also have to have insurance against accidents and and other work related health issues through a "Berufsgenossenschaft".
The guy at the start said that Americans are wilfully ignorant of the rest of the world. But America is run by corporations, right ? It is in their interests to keep you ignorant, not to realise that you are being shafted compared to all other countries. So perhaps individual Americans are not being wilfully ignorant. But corporations are wilfully keeping them that way ...
As Mitt Romney said "corporations are people, too". Or as Calvin Coolidge said: " the business of America is business." Or, as they said in the 1950s "what's good for General Motors is good for the USA." Or, as the Shrub and Cheney put it, "Iraqi oil will pay for the cost of the war." But yes, Americans are willfully ignorant. They not only refuse to defer to expertise, they disparage it. Alexis de Toqueville found American anti-intellectualism disconcerting (in the 1820s!), especially in a place where innovation was valued.
This is gonna be a long comment, but you seem like people who really want to learn. I`m danish and let me tell you some of the benefits as you call them, we call them rights, i have. Before i start, let me say, american politicians and news stations constantly screams about socialism, it isn`t, Denmark is a very capitalist country, everything is privately owned and we have more millionaires per capita, than the USA. We do have taxpaid healthcare and education, simply because that is cheaper and more efficient and benefits us all as a country, but all the other other benefits i mention here, is simply due to Union membership, 80% of danish workers are Union members and that makes us really strong and able to negotiate good terms in the workfield, here`s some of them. 37H work week, a total of 8 weeks paid vacation and Holidays, full pay during sickness, no limits on the number of days, a years fully paid parental leave, and 8% on top of your wage put into a retirementfond, that is mandatory here, also for foreign countries like McDonalds, i have a niece that works for them, her average yearly income is ca. 45.000$. One more thing americans are usually told: But danes pay everything in taxes, no again not true, if you Google it the average income tax for danes is 34%, and i have over the years compared with 5 american friends, they pay less tax, but when we add all the things my taxes cover, healthcare, education and so on that theirs don`t, i always have more of my paycheck left to live for than any of them, and i still have a way better security net to take care of me. Overhere we always laugh when americans talk about the "radical left", there is no radical left, that is just how all other industrialized countries are governed, it`s the USA that has turned horribly rightwing the last 40 years.
The Americans don’t believe in unions? Your country does and so does mine, Australia. I’m in my 70s now but as a child and teenager I remember my father joined his work union to give the employees what was fair and right. I remember dad coming home saying, “we are striking again “. The union didn’t want a lot, they wanted fair wages and more humane working conditions - and they got them and went back to work. I’m worried if they tried that in America, civil war would erupt. Many are told unions are so bad. I learned so much just listening to dad talk about it. But can Americans?
@@bernadettelanders7306 No they don`t, the brainwashing from Murdoch and his rich friends has been very successful, that`s why american workers has just about the worst conditions and longest hours in the developed world. Their rightwing news has managed to convince them that anything, like taxcuts for the rich is good american capitalism, and anything that could give the ordinary american a decent life, is horrible socialism.
14:25 She says "That's craaaazzzyyy". The rest of the western world says "That's nooorrrmmaall." An American I used to ride with in the early '80's worked in a hospital as a research scientist while he was here in Aust. He said, one day, he found the best option to take when working in a foreign country is to keep your mouth shut & your ears & mind open.
14:30 i was about to say that! I always see americans say "crazy, thats crazy" and i always think noooo.... no whats crazy is the way you guys do things 😂❤
As should be everywhere. I saw that in England years ago when visiting. I was really happy at that moment. Just to see people act with respect to each other regardless of status or income.
American has a tipping culture, which expects customers to give a tip to servers in restaurants and many other jobs. This is why Americans who visit UK and other countries can’t understand why they don’t have to tip. The reason is that UK employers pay their staff good living wage, so their staff do not have to rely on tips.
@@rebel4466apparently not always. I’ve i don’t take part of the tipping culture in America. Now what?? People working in food/branches can’t pay their rent ... because of me⁉️😳😳😳😳 Wild
My daughter works at a popular restaurant in Ohio and is paid $4.00 an hour. She never sees a paycheck because the government takes it all. In addition she has to pay the restaurant 3% of the customers bill and is not allowed access to her non-cash tips for another 4 days. There should be laws to protect these servers.
19:05 that's the crucial point: "did you get any benefits..(...)...healthcare..." The point is: Healthcare is not a benefit - it's a human right! At least if you ask anyone in the developped world outside the US.
I love that you make well balanced arguments, respect the human beings involved in stuff (eg low skill workers) and put your own personal spin on things. Very thoughtful video.
America the Land of the Free, if you are a gun, a car or a corporation. Ordinary Human citizens are just a necessity to make those freedoms for guns cars and corporations, not for themselves
When I was working, if I wanted NOT to use all of my paid annual leave in a specific year, I had to apply in writing to carry that leave over to the next year, with my reason for wanting to save the leave. Usually it was so that I could travel somewhere overseas. In Australia, and I think in New Zealand, we also have long service leave, which is in addition to our annual leave. We get 9 days for each year of work, which increased the longer we were employed. By the time I retired, I was receiving an extra 15 days annually. We also have compulsory superannuation, where the employer is legally obliged to pay a specified percentage of your wages into a superannuation fund. This percentage (12% at present) doesn't come out of your wages, it's IN ADDITION to your wages.
I find it so wholesome to see your reactions. I admire that you're open to learning new things that contradict what you were probably told most of your life ('m sorry, I do not mean this in any kind of condescending way). Of course Europe isn't perfect either, far from it. To be fair, in higher skilled jobs, US companies vuluntarily offer much better conditions and benefits because otherwise nobody qualified would work for them. I know because I have worked for both US and European companies (I'm German). But it's about the most vulnerable group of the population, those that don't/can't earn a lot. That's what a society is for, to make sure EVERYONE is taken care of. Because for a variety of reasons, everyone can find themselves in a situation where they rely on society. That's why unions are very popular in Europe. I can only speak for Germany but over here, unions and management work together constructively (for the most part) in order to achieve the best for both the company and workers. In times of economic recession, unions might agree to wage or work time cuts in exchange for the company not sacking people. It helps everyone. And one of the biggest differences between Germany and the US is: In Germany companies' main focus is on long-term sustainability instead of only focussing on shareholder-value or the next quarter. Sorry for the wall of text. I really appreciate your open-mindedness.
Great reaction. Even the language that corporate America uses, what they term worker’s benefits we in the UK and Europe refer to as worker’s rights. Well done to your relative in turning his life around. As regards low income jobs when my adult son was between jobs he worked as an early morning cleaner at Aldi and I couldn’t have been more proud 😊
And he didn't even talk about the paid maternity leave for farthers, often 3 month or being payed 1000 dollars/month for studying. Europe invest in people and it is worth it.
As a UK citizen, American's could justifiably say the same about NATO and our totally inadequate attempts to build sufficient forces to defend ourselves, hiding behind the American coat tails. Quite frankly, in this ever more dangerous world, Europeans (which includes the UK) in the last 30 years, have spent money that should be used for defence, on giving our citizens a good life. While that's a worthy goal the primary purpose of any Government is to defend itself and its citizens.
@@UnknownUser-rb9pd As a Finnish man I could argue that this isn't the case in every Nato member country. In case of war Finland could, in reasonable time, get around 1 million armed fighters, who have army experience, due to the transcription system here. But preparing for war is not an excuse for not taking care of your society and citizens. Ecpecially as those citizens in the worst case scenario should be fit enough to fight.
@@jaaskai I agree that Finland is better prepared than many though you of course only just joined. However it is not just men but ammunition and equipment and as the Ukraine war has demonstrated unless you have very large stocks of ammunition and spare military equipment eventually an opponent like Russia will wear you down. At the end of the cold war the UK defence spending was 4% of GDP and the last time the UK fought a war alone in 1982 against Argentina, it was 6% of GDP. We are now hoping to boost it from a little over 2% to 2.5% by the end of the decade and have ammunition stocks that would last a couple of weeks at best in the Ukraine war. And the UK is one of the higher spending European nations on defence.
@@UnknownUser-rb9pd true. On the other hand Finland has guite a lot of spare ammunition and military equipment stored to be used if needed and because we are sityated where we are it would be idiotism to hand all of those to Ukraine as nuch as we want to. Joining Nati was never before an option because we know from experience that you can't rely on other countries helping. For example in the Winter War against the Soviet Union we were promised by UK etc that we will be helped, but almost nothing arrived. It is the same country with different name that is being the invader in Ukraine now. We know how they work and think. Help is being provided by Nato countries, but not enough. Not even close. It is as was for us back in the days when my grabdfathers generation fought against Soviet tanks with what ever they could get their hands on, Molotov cocktail s, birch logs erc. Luckily there were enough of them willing to die for our country. The problem in my perspective is that in USA there is no collective need or will to take care of their own people. And eventualy as the younger generations realize rhat, thanks to these videos, sonething will happen and it might not be pretty. When it does us Europeans have to deal with Russia ourselves.
@@jaaskai I agree that Finland is much better prepared due to your location and being independent for so long. I also agree that Europe has to be prepared to fight without America and we Europeans need to unite as never before (I was ashamed about UK Brexit). And actually the Ukraine war has been very useful in depleting Russia's massive stores of ammunition and equipment. However you are a small country with limited facilities. Russia is going to produce more artillery shells this year than every NATO country combined, including America. And that is after most NATO countries have increased production. Even next year, NATO will struggle to match Russia as NATO countries ramp up production. In other ways we're also vulnerable. For instance as far as I know, even a country like the UK with nearly 70 million people has two main armaments factories. One producing bullets and small calibre ammunition and one producing artillery shells. That means one missile strike could potentially stop production of vital ammunition. It is I believe a similar situation with far fewer storage facilities and supply depots which over the last 30+ years have been reduced as the military has shrank and the amount of equipment has been reduced. That again makes us vulnerable, particularly now that long range missiles are so much better and our air defence missiles are so expensive that stocks are again limited. I'm sure Finland could carry out a guerrilla war against Russia for a long time and make the more remote parts of your country difficult for them to operate but you can see from the situation in Ukraine that they are willing to sacrifice huge amounts of men and equipment and your major population centres would be overrun. In addition they would also be able to use their large navy which has a lot of submarines and ships with cruise missiles. At the moment they are restricted against Ukraine as Turkey closed access to the Black Sea. In the winter war and in WW2 it was easier to fight the sort of war they did because military equipment was cheap and could easily be manufactured in one country. Countries like the UK churned out tens of thousands of tanks and armoured vehicles. And simple solutions like Molotov cocktail you mentioned were often effective. Nowadays, vehicles have far more effective armour and protection. And the arms required to disable this equipment is much more complex. Parts can come from lots of different countries and if this is not available it is often impossible to source it elsewhere. If single component (for example a Taiwanese chip) is unavailable for two years because they do not have the capacity to produce it, then it can be impossible to produce the arms. I believe the US army has a two year lead time on the Stinger missile for example. That's two years before a single missile can be produced. Anyway, both Finland and Sweden are very welcome members of NATO and add valuable forces in strategically important parts of Europe. I just hope that we never need to fight together.
I enjoy how you both interact with one another - mutually respectful and refreshing - a model for unreconstructed blokes like me - thanks for the example 😊
I worked in a QSR one day when I had a horrible customer come in and was a basic bully and condescending, I served him politely and as he left he turned to me and said "That is why I am successful and you are not". I smiled, because he didn't realise I owned the shop, filling a shift and was doing OK, thank you very much. When a customer turns to you you and says "I pay your wages", remember no you don't my boss does.
Shocking! I'm from the UK and I had 1 year off maternity plus I was allowed time off for appointments. I have twins so I was having appointments every week towards the end.
Growing up in New Zealand, I always looked up to America. I never would have thought that in such a short time I would be feeling sorry for Americans. But I really do :( And honestly, we all do. I have conversations here about how sad the state of things have gotten over there. I briefly lived in America around a decade ago, and I loved it. It is a magical place and Americans are lovely people. But boy, was I glad to come home
in my country, there is something like this: "holidays under the pear tree" - it is additional money that your employer pays you when you go on (paid) leave for more than 2 weeks. So you not only get a normal salary, but extra money for going on vacation
Aussie aren’t you😊 same here. Yes I know a bit about some unions here in Aus, hard work, from what I remember in the 70s, but getting results was brilliant for the worker. Many unions fought hard for the employees. I remember work strikes in the 60s and 70s until the workers got what they deserved.
I hope you can look back at Reagan's legacy and the fact he told the striking union members they would be fired if they did not return to jobs. That is only one reason why Americans are afraid of joining unions. Your point about unions is valid but it's not that easy in the US
BUT Joe Biden is getting behind the Unions and validating them. Workers need a United voice as in Australia. We had the Basic wage back in 1917. It’s our backbone, thanks to the strong Union movement.
Work/life balance in France : 35h/w - 5 weeks paid vacation. Just for you to realize, it means 3 weeks in July or August and I still have 2 weeks for Christmas or whatever! Oh, and we usually work 39h/w so, we have recuperation days that we use 1 day at a time when we need to! 😂
Hello you two, It is funny how many people think that Socialism ist the same as Communism. I am caring for my neighbors, who have to work hard, I also care for the people who go to a special store, where they can buy affordable food (Donated by our super markets) and second hand clothings. That means I am a Socialist, not a communist. If you are not allowed to care for others.......... You got me. Be safe. Elmar from Germany
Mike summed it up well at the start no American will watch this, so will live in ignorance. I admire you both for putting family first and financial sacrifices. We also did the same my wife stayed at home to look after the children while i worked, family life is so important to us.
I'm from the UK and need a hip replacement soon. Cost of doctors appointment-zero. Cost of appointment with orthopaedic surgeon-zero. Cost of preliminary investigations eg bloods, swabs, ECG-zero. Cost of surgery-zero- Cost of rehab-zero. Paid whilst recovering? Employer pays full salary for six months. Paid annual leave?-41 days. God bless America.
@@simonrobbins8357 Yes, it's true; some are more fortunate than others, but at least there's a safety net. A minimum standard enforced by law. And of course I meant the NHS is free at the point of delivery. I should know; I work in the NHS!
@@Bobmudu35UK yet the cost in tax contributions is far far far far less than people in the US have to pay for their healthcare, which they get far far far far less of!
Second Thought is fantastic, the world needs a lot more content creators like that. People need to stop measuring wealth by the number of rich people and start measuring it by the absence of poverty. #fuckcapitalism
'We don't have a dream in Great Britain. We Don't!! There is no British dream. This isn't because we lack some sense of moral purpose. This isn't because we haven't got a sense of guiding destiny taking us to a better tomorrow. We don't have a dream in this country because we're awake!!' (Al Murray)
Which is absolutely objectionable, these people work hard for the little money, but the CEO's in the leadership pocket several million dollars in bonuses. The whole thing belongs in court, it's pure exploitation in another video I saw that California has raised the minimum wage to 20 dollars, and McDonalds doesn't want to pay that and is therefore leaving California.
I respect you for your sacrifices. You are doing a good job in highlighting such things, hopefully this is going to make some positive changes for all.
Our second son worked at a company for about 2 or 3 months and he went on a three week vacation with his mother. After one week back home in The Netherlands he went for another week. All paid.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #60 РОЖДЕНИЕ ЛОЛОЛОШКИ [Финал] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/YoR0pAV9FVQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Americans look down on people with low wage jobs.
Europeans look down on companies paying their staff low wages.
Der ist wirklich Gutdünken
Very true.
i live near 2 air base in germany and i know soldiers from 30 years ago with their big cars and playing the big guy... nowadays they have so less money, that they cant leave the air base and drive the cheapest car avalieable...
That's disgusting
This!
My country too. Our total population is about the same as denmark. But our land way. Smaller.
"It's called the American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it" - George Carlin
I am born 86 in Germany. I had it believed. Your Problem are the 50% of Americans they like Trump!
This is a inner fight. That can only repair youself.
My new American dream is moving abroad.
True. The USA are not a democracy but an oligarchy. Why? Because you have to have at least 300 milllion dollars to -buy the presidency- run for office. Several US universities have confirmed that many years ago already.
Wonder if he still would say the same thing.
More going on and things changed.
@@jsb7975 Yes, things have change. Now one party striped women from their rights, try to kick people from voting lists and want to crown their nominee as a king in order for him to avoid jail for his crimes.
What you find so shocking is just normal to virtually all Europeans. Slavery didn't end in the USA, it just became corporate.
Comparing living situations that we deal with hear to slavery conditions seems like a very very far stretch. I get your point, but let's compare apples to apples. I've worked some of the worst jobs in existence. Never felt like slavery
@@RNTV To any European those conditions would absolutely be regarded as slavery. But I get your point - lets just call it modern serfdom!
@@RNTV Letting a few people make money with many people's health makes people equal to merchandise. It's not so far from slavery in concept. You don't need shackles and whips for that, just exploiting people's basic needs is enough.
@@RNTV It's not that far off the truth if you look at how the US system works, heck even health care is tied to your job through insurance, it's easy to see how businesses can abuse that by lowering conditions and pay because workers can't afford to lose there jobs of risk of losing there health insurance.
I wouldn't call it slavery but it's not far off as it puts a lot of pressure on Americans to accept any job, even if the pay is crap and then the fear factor of losing your insurance by losing your job, means you're willing to accept worse conditions, by many definitions, it is slavery and I do agree with him that slavery didn't end, it just shifted towards the corporate model and expanded to the majority of the population.
This isn't normal in almost every other modern country.
@@RNTV It's corporate slavery, aka modern day legal slavery. Not historical slavery.
Going out on a limb here. In Europe and other countries who take care of their citizens, we are brought up in a "we/us" society. America is a "ME and MY rights" society.
As a Dane, I'm hopeful that future generations in America will be able to make a change. By watching and reflecting on videos like this, you're already on your way.
Thank you both 😊
America is big on individual 'rights' not so much an individuals responsibilities.
Da jeg boede i Danmark... anyway, Jylands Posten published some silly inflammatory cartoons about Mohammed. They caused riots in the Mid-east and a Danish Embassy was burned. The defenders of the cartoons said they were defenders of "free speech." People died. Just because one CAN do something doesn't mean one should. Anyway, I lived there for ten years. Denmark works very well. For Danes. Not so well for foreigners.
I read somewhere a while ago that in the USA, it's more about "the freedom *_to_* xyz", while in Europe, it's more abut "the freedom *_from_* xyz". The most blatant example would be the "freedom to run around with a fully automatic weapon" vs. "the freedom from other people running around with fully automatic weaons". Or "the freedom to abuse others" vs. "the freedom from getting abused by others" (always talking about freedoms that the government is responsible for enforcing).
Not sure why you would be embarrassed about working for McDonald's, to me anyone who gets out of their bed to support their families deserves nothing but respect no matter what they do.
Well said 👏
_"to me anyone who gets out of their bed to support their families deserves nothing but respect no matter what they do."_
Well, mobster enforcers also get out of bed to suport their families (both their "actual" family as well as their criminal "family"), but I have no respect for them...
There are also _some_ people who are slugging around doing really shoddy work at the expense of others (either their customers, or their fellow workers who effectively have to do _their_ job as well).
But other than exceptions like this, yep, fully agreed ☺
Gets on my nerves when I hear Americans say the United States is the greatest country on earth or in history
No country can claim to be the greatest in the world, It's arrogant to even say so, and even thought there is the greatest, it really depends on how what you define as being great, but one thing I do know, the US is clearly not the greatest, it's got too many flaws compared to other modern countries that I wouldn't even say the US holds up that well against other modern countries, especially when it comes to quality of life.
Some pollies here in Australia have started pushing this bullshit over here. "Australia is the best country in the world" Like fecking NO IT ISN'T. Australia ain't even top 10 any more.
@@paul1979uk2000 A country can be the greatest at _something_ but not "the greatest" since something that broad is entirely subjective.
It is if you're a woman, yes northern Europe is also a good place for a woman to be, but I think Madonna put it well "I love America because it's the country where I've been able to do what I've done"
Especially buffoons like donny Trump.
The richness of a country should be judged not on the bank accounts of its most advantaged citizens, but on the quality of life of its most disadvantaged citizens.
Exactly. There are billionaires in Nigeria too
The thing is, the wealthier the country, the poorer the poor in that country
Labour Unionism?
Exactly! A chain is only as strong as its weakest link
that's right it should
“No society can legitimately call itself civilized if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means.” This quote from the founder of the NHS is at the heart of our social democracy here in the UK. The US should have voted for Bernie Sanders: he is considered far left there but his ideas are mainstream here in Europe.
@@jimpalmer9263 Mainstream here in Australia too. I still don't understand why Bernie Sanders was overlooked. He would've changed the USA for the better for sure
the tory gov and new gov both are shitting on this qutoe. slowly trying to privatise the system
Yes, Sanders would have been a normal danish Social Democrat. Actually he`s good friends with some of our Social Democratic politicians, and often visits here.
Our NHS is a complete mess and it’s not for lack of money, it needs a complete overhaul. It has been for many decades a postcode lottery if you could get treatment for certain medical conditions. Now people are dying waiting to be seen, people are spending days on trolleys in A and E not getting on a proper ward, some are dying there. My father in law has this happen to him recently, also in hospital my husband realised three weeks in they haven’t been brushing his teeth. Now in a half way home, my husband goes every day finds they haven’t got he out of bed some days, no underwear on or protection, and he’s wet or worse. So my husband ends up cleaning and changing him, brushing his teeth and giving him a shave everyday. He has to ask all the time why is he still in bed, has he had a walk today, he has to brush his teeth and shave him. This is basic nursing, what if a person has no family or they can’t go everyday?
@@jemmajames6719 It's for the money being redirected into privatisation companies and management, rather than being allocated where it is needed and a key thing was the stopping of training bursaries for nurses and doctors.
As a British person who has spent years visiting and working in the USA I have but one comment.
Every time I tried to explain workers rights, maternity leave and a comprehensive medical system I was told that we are lazy communists! This comes from people who have no idea what communism actually is.
I had three stents inserted in my heart when I had a heart attack in Italy - completely free. in Spain I have had cardiology care, dermatology care (skin cancer), pins inserted in my ankle and many other things - all free.
For a predominantly Christian country, especially right-wing evangelists, I'm surprised that they don't follow the words and actions of Jesus. He was basically in his actions a socialist,even if at the time this term was not used.
Australian here, we get holiday pay, sick leave, etc etc, - and our affordable healthcare comes from our taxes. Americans pay taxes as well, for what? Definitely not their health and work situations. And I have been called a communist and socialist by a few Americans. They don’t understand their companies are ruling the country re their wages etc and not their government, let alone unions who fight for workers basic rights and fair wages etc.
Oh my god I've never thought about it that way but yup Jesus was a socialist, didn't he even have a whole thing about profiteering and selfishness when it came to money? I'm not all up on the Bible but I'm sure I remember something like that as a kid.
As a former chaplain once explained it to me "nobody can be a Christian and a capitalist at the same time"
@@elscotto290
Just look up His castigation of money changers and merchants in the Temple in Jerusalem.
Not free. Paid for in taxes.
America calls it socialism - and doesn't want it! We call it respect for our fellow citizens.
Socialism is the sharing of the rich to give to the poor. It’s a great concept.
Socialism is the economic system associated with communisim, which was a total failure because none of the communist countries ever got beyond the dictatorship stage.
What democratic countries have are SOCIAL BENEFITS. All of these countries have a free-.market economy.
@@geraldinegaynor1360 No it's not. Socialism is the economic system where everyone works a job according to the government, which is what Marx and Engels proposed in their failed Communist Manisfesto.
There is no "sharing" except in private donations in democratic countries. Interestingly, in the USA such donations are generous.
To force "sharing", democracies collects income tax and the tax rate increases with income. What America and Europe need to do is force a one-time wealth tax on everyone with an income of more than 25 million dollars and make the oil companies pay a windfall tax because they made records profits during the pandemic and they are still making record profits because the price of gasoline and oil has not come down. They can blame OPEC all they want to, but you can take a look at Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon-Mobil annual reports.
Anything America doesn't like is socialism in it's eyes
Don't kid yourself. It's nothing to do with respect and everything to do with selfishness.
A common argument in the US is that if you give people free stuff then they will just abuse the system. I don't have the details to hand, but a Finnish guy who started a business in the US decided to apply Finnish employment practices (even though he obviously didn't have to) -- fair wages, unlimited sick leave, weeks of paid vacation, paid maternity leave -- and was told that he was crazy, because his workers would just rip him off. Guess what? His employees were happy and loyal, productivity was excellent and the business did really well.
A few years ago, German car manufacturers in the USA wanted to introduce works councils* based on the German model. Their employees had to join a union before this was possible.
* In German labor law, union membership is not mandatory in order to establish a works council.
If there are 5 employees, at least 3 must be eligible.
The number of works council members to be elected varies depending on the total number of employees.
If there are 200 employees or more, the law provides for a number of works council members to be exempted from work. Those who are not exempted are subject to time off work for their duties = attending meetings and committees.
In my company last year there were 29 works council members, 7 of whom were exempted.
Yep corporate America abuses the hell out of government handouts
He also had people walking out of interviews calling it a scam.
@@aussie6910 The very people he wouldn't want to hire anyway, how is that a problem?
@@markfeland2285 Didn't say it was a problem. Just stating part of the story jaak left out. Too many Americans live in a bubble & just don't get that they're worse off as a whole in many areas.
Yet, the Americans are still bragging about how free they are. Whenever an American says that we have the number one freedom in the world, I cringe.🤦♂
Yet when you ask them to define those freedoms, they can't. What freedoms do they have that I or other people around the world don't have?
Tell the to Sleepy Joe, who always say USA is the greatest country blah blah blah. USA is not the greatest or was the greatest country it was all a facade and soft power marketing like Hollywood and Burgers.
They are number 17 on the freedom scale, or something like that.
@@Fetguf Truly surprised that their ranking is so high.
@@Fetguf It's been updated to number 19 or 20 from the last time I looked up.
the thing that bothers me the most about Americans reacting to this video, is when they get to talking about the 'work life balance' section, what 95% of the world considers basic human rights and things that government should provide from taxation, Americans think of as 'benefits', like the employer is doing you a favour by providing these services, it blows my mind how actually backwards America is, and why I always refer to it as the richest thrid world country on earth.
It doesn't blow my mind how backwards the US is. What blows my mind is they don't realise how backwards it is even compared to 3rd world countries.
What bothers me is that American corporations operating in other countries try to operate the same as they do in the US. When they can't they start lobbying those other govts for re-regulation, funding parties that lean that way, providing consultancies that offer dirty tricks, advocating winning elections at ALL costs, bribing officials, undermining media, promoting right wing media. campaigning against unions, - in some countries funding murder of unionists /environmentalists- ( see 'killer coke') Any pushback is interpreted as anti-American and before you know it you have CIA interference. This is why South America is in such a poor state fuelling drugs and emigration..
Democrats want to change that for better!
Yep - backwards they are... it´s just a fact! And they are also a very rich thirld world country... almost at a banana republic level!
That is not true. Federal Labors laws are very specific and state labor laws can add even more rules. As for your 95% of the world, that's total B.S. A whopping SEVENTY-TWO PERCENT of the world's population live in autocratic dictatorships.
As for third-world, you clearly have no idea what the word means.
Never look down on someone, unless you're helping them up
Heh, as much as I generally dislike saying like that, this one has such a good sentiment behind it, I love it! 😊
@Wolf-ln1ml Ty
German here! You know what’s weird! We are also a free country! Free speech, freedom from illegal searches and seizures, freedom of the press we have it all.
Switzerland here..
Same here and everywhere in the EU 😂😂
Dane here: we not only have freedom, we even have rights.
@@neptune5728 And you have the Janta Lovn. Sad to say, it's often a cultural drive to mediocrity.
Yet in Germany, you have an increasingly powerful neo-fascist movement in the east.
@@davidyohalem629 Wrong. Janteloven is meant to remind you that even though you may have a better job than someone else, or have more money, you are not more important than other people. So no need to brag or think more highly of yourself, compared to others. We are all in it together.
The biggest problem in America by far, is not racism, not sexism, not homophobia, but education.
I would add lack of regulation of the corporate sector and lack of unionisation in the workforce
Or, more importantly, the lack of education.
Lots of people do ‘fill in’ jobs here in the UK, commonly stacking shelves in a supermarket. It should be applauded for not just sitting at home! $15 is the UK minimum wage now - plus the first $16,200 is tax free. Then, health care, 5 weeks holiday plus statutory holidays all included! You ain’t doing too well over there!
I would say corruption..
Lack of knowledge, poor regulation protections, corruption and isolation... yeah average Americans are isolated by our institutions so we remain ignorant and complacent
The UK can be annoying and its politics can become pantomime but when I watch this video I’m reminded how lucky we are.
Where the voting members of the Tory party (about 150,000 people) can select Liz Truss to be PM? She didn't last as long as a head of lettuce. Britain is far more structurally messed up (post-Brexit) than the US. The UK is a bad example for dumping on the States. Labour is now suffering the consequences of the last 15 years of Conservative misrule (rather like Biden has suffered following TFG.)
Same here in Ireland, though we're becoming worryingly, imo, Americanised, in some ways.
@@gaiaiulia Resist it the U.S. is a shit hole.
We do have embarrassingly poor maternity leave/pay though. Not a single day off at full pay.
The crazy thing is the American healthcare system costs more in tax per person than the UKs NHS..
That's because it''s not a health care system it's a health BUSINESS system !
@@gregorygant4242 😅 I would say even 'business' is too nice a word
It costs twice as much as Australia's universal health care.
True. The US has the least efficient healthcare system in the developed world when you compare health outcomes to expenditure. Japan’s is ranked 1st.
If you want to understand the American health system, it runs the same way pet insurance works in the UK.
Great reaction video.
I’m in the uk and a few weeks ago I was threatened with a warning at work if I DIDNT book at least 75% of my holiday hours.
I was furious! How dare they!?? For NOT booking my holidays, I would get into trouble, how was that fair???
Now.. after watching this, I’ll never complain again.
In the Czech Republic, maternity leave is 3 years, the company holds a place for you and the child is paid state health insurance until the age of 18, or until 25 if he is studying.
I,m currently on immunotherapy. I was diagnosed with cancer in august last year. I have had 3 biopsies, 4 CT scans, 1 ultrasound scan. My cancer is metatastic. I,m being looked after by some wonderful people and I have no words to explain how grateful I am. Actual cost for all this? A payment from my wages that nobody in my country grudges so actually when I needed help it cost me £0.
Love and good luck to you! Take care. Xx
Take care! Where do you live?
I live in Uruguay and my case is similar to yours, except I don't have metastasic cancer. I had chemotherapy and immunotherapy, several scans and I had to pay nothing!
In our country, it is mandatory that every employee has medical care, which is financed by a small monthly payment taken from the employees salary and a larger amount paid by the employers. We have 20 days paid vacations if we work full time (usually 40 hours a week) or less if we are temporary workes. 90 days paid maternity leave. Also, we have a bonus called "aguinaldo" which is a 13th salary paid yearly.
And I assure you Uruguay is a very, very small country in population. Only 3.5 million and we are not a rich country. But social laws, women's vote, and several other benefits have been instated for over a century.
This extreme capitalism has really drowned the American worker! And I truly don't understand why working in a fast food chain is viewed as diminishing. Work is work and everyone should be proud and grateful to have a job.
I had a bone marrow biopsy and was diagnosed with MDS, a blood cancer in May of 2020. My initial consult which lasted for 30 minutes cost $7,500 dollars or at the exchange rate today, that's 5,800 pounds for a 30-minute visit.
Since my diagnosis 4 years ago I have spent over $35000 dollars and that is just to be followed by a doctor every 4 months. Right now, I am still in the stage before treatment, so I am terrified of the cost of treatment if just 12 visits and the attending blood lab work has run me $35,000 (roughly 27,000 pounds). I can only imagine what it will be with transfusion dependency, chemotherapy and medications, and an eventual stem cell transplant.
@@briansharvill1794 That's outrageous ! Oncology treatments, consults and medication should be free or available to everyone for a small payment, affordable to most people.
Wish you the best with your treatment and a good outcome!
sorry to hear but id rather be in debt than being sick
American here, my mom spent most of her life working between 50-80 hours a week. Now that she's about to retire, we're planning on leaving the US so I can look for a professional job in Europe and she can spend the last years of her life in peace. Yes, Europe definitely isn't perfect, but I refuse to slave away the rest of my youth here.
Democrats want to 😊 change all of this!
Look at Luxembourg.
Good for you!
So she will be doing what most Americans complain about. Mooching immigrant, looking for free healthcare and benefits. Working those hours a week in the US do not validate all those benefits in Europe.
@@BergenDev les soins ne sont pas gratuits, un prélèvement en pourcentage sur les salaires est fait, de cette façon tout le monde paie pour tout le monde, ça s'appelle la solidarité ....
I have said it before, MONEY IS GOD IN AMERICA. And the people with all the money make the rules. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the rest just survive.
Its important to mention the benefits European workers receive was not given to us by the goverment, it was fought for through the labour movement. And thats the only way it can happen in America too.
There should be a corporate tax of 50% so Google can charge you $1.00 for each minute you are on UA-cam. Do you expect the elite left to go without? Will it be only one bedroom apartments in Silicon Valley? Your a fool.
The same goes for the UK, the rich get richer & the poor get poorer... But at least we have the NHS.
@@jome7382 UK and Europe have better education, safer roads, safer streets, a better government system and better employment conditions for workers.
America is not a democracy it is a bribeocracy
UK Citizen here. When I broke my arm, not only did I receive medical treatment completely free including an ambulance ride, hospital stay, surgery, and physiotherapy.
But the government paid me £4,000 to live on, because I couldn't work whilst my arm healed.
Imagine that, a government that takes care of its citizens.
It has been proven that a company that takes care if it's workforce has a higher productivity as well as a happy staff.
The government has no magic money tree that it benevolently shakes out for the citizenry. It is YOUR money recycled.
My wife and I moved from Seattle to Norway in 1985 and have never regretted it. When we moved here and people asked why we moved to Norway, we said we were Reagan refugees and the Norwegians laughed. We've visited the US about every 5 years or so. The last two times have convinced us that we are not moving back to the US. I have lived all over the US and see how non regulation of capitalism as ruined the expectation of "upward mobility" the US used to have.
Aussie here. Our minimum wage is $24.10 AUD ph, regardless of the job.
I was diagnosed with MS in 2012 - my monthly infusion, neurologist 3 x a year, home help 10hrs per week, social outings 4hrs per week, 2 x MRIs a year, 3 x JCV blood tests per year, occupational therapy when needed, speech therapy when needed, mental health therapist if needed, all costs me $0. My Aussie government pay approx $90 grand per year to keep me alive and living in my own home.
If I was American, you may as well have just given me a wooden box.
So glad I'm Australian 😊
@user-ct8nk9me4w Good point. Rubbish truck you say - ummmm I'll be dead already, so either which way lol
I'd 100% be dead if I lived in the USA. Been dealing with depression and severe insomnia for almost 15 years and chronic fatigue for 10 years. Tried everything possible to treat/fix it, but the chronic fatigue diagnoses basically sealed the fact I was never getting truly better. Been on disability pension for 5 years, which makes my various meds SO much cheaper, as well as getting Medicare rebates for my psychiatrist and psychologist appointments. In the USA I would've sent my family bankrupt with my medical shit - I've had various stays in private mental institutions for a month at a time, and our health insurance paid for ALL of it. US health insurance is so broken and screwed up to me.
@@roslynjonsson2383 "Don't panic, it's organic"
@@jessbellis9510 We're lucky people to be Australian, that's for sure.
Good luck with your struggles darlin, and don't ever think that you're alone, because you're not 🤗
Chronic fatigue is part of MS, so I know that struggle very well. I also have a few side conditions from the MS - Thermo Nuclear Dysfunction (my body can't regulate temperature anymore), optic neuritis, permanent nerve pain in my right side and acute vertigo (I just finished a 7 week episode 2 weeks ago). So I feel ya hon.
Sending hugs and understanding your way ❤🤗
@@roslynjonsson2383right on im Australian i don't have much work experience yet (because im 19) so im not an expert but i was getting paid $25 an hour at my dad's factory when i soon learned about the 8 dollor minimum wage in America i decided nope im never going to America which is upsetting because when i was a kid i looked up too the usa
When everything you hear from a couple confirms you had every right to think very highly of them
🙏💚💜
Blimey, Ive never had 7 likes before, never mind in 15 mins!
Im aiming higher next time
You've got nearly 100 now 😁👍
+ 1❤from Mike, +2❤s from Jess! Only because it's what we all think, of course.
@RNTV Unfortunately, media is caling politicians who propose good social democratic mesures left wing lunatics. Guys, you should vote for real social democrats like Sanders and AOC. In EU, those politicians would be considered as centers, center right politicians. The problem in Europe is that our politicians try to copy US politicians, and we could lose some benefits. 😢😢😢
I live in Norway, we have a capitalist/social society.We are a wealthy country,where the high taxes goes to benefits for all.That's why I like paying my taxes.
Same goes for Denmark and myself. I gladly pay my taxes - it's the proper way to have a "trickle down" economy.
Same in Sweden 😀
And 🇫🇮
Same in Sweden.
Overall, same for me here in Germany. Yes, the actual distribution of those taxes is always an issue, and as far as I'm concerned, it's being handled worse here than in Skandinavia, but it's still "good enough" that I like paying my taxes.
Hell, I haven't even "done my taxes", ever, even though I'd definitely get at least some money back every year - for one, I'm too lazy to bother with the additional effort, but more so, I'm fine _not_ getting anything back in the hope that even that little bit will help just a tiny bit to improve the overall financial situation of the society that I live in.
You two can become a part of making that change even if you don’t benefit from it, but your kids and grandkids do.
I am an American who moved to Europe over 20 years ago. I found an admin entry level job within a couple of weeks. I automatically recieved paid sick leave and had 21 paid vacation days. My father worked for a company in the US for over 20 years before his death and had only 10 paid days of vacation.
It’s not only McD in Denmark, it’s all over Europe.
@@geofftottenperthcoys9944 MickyD's here in Germany. 😃
I read some where "America isn't A country It's a Corporation" and now I know why😢
I think it was one of the lines that Brad Pitt's character said in the film "Killing them Softly".
I have lived in Denmark for 53 years. Don't have a lot of money but I wake up every morning, feeling lucky and grateful for being born here. I really have sympathy for the average American and I sincerely hope that things will change to the better for you
I have Danish Ancestry on my Dad's side & German on my mum's. I love being a European, I was disgusted when people in the UK voted to leave. I have always felt European & I love my Scandinavian Danish & German heritage. Much love to you in mother Denmark
Best decision Britain made to leave the disaster called the EU .
‘The Majority (?) of Americans believe in a vision of America that doesn’t actually exist.’
It’s a vision of America; if it existed, it would be reality rather than a vision.
The companies are taking advantage of you with laughter ringing in their ears!
I agree what's shocking is that Americans are blown away by paid maternity leave and vacation time - these really are human rights. We have about 5 or 6 colleagues who come and work at our UK office and live in the UK for a year or two each year as we are an Anglo American company. Literally when they start they all have an additional half day in their onboarding program as we found they were not using their vacation days, sick days etc not to mention not going to hospitals or seeing a Dr if they are sick. So we have to reinforce this is their right and medical care is free so they should use it.
One of my American colleagues who I'm still friends with now, was literally stunned because she got prescribed medicine for her Acne and all it cost her was £9 for the entire three month course. She was telling everyone - and we were all like, yeah that's right, that's normal - she thought the pharmacist had made a mistake!. Then she told us back in the States the same medicine (not to mention the cost of seeing a Dr) would cost her $1,725 which is why she hadn't got it before at home.
Recently got out of hospital after a motorcycle accident.
Transport, mri scans, food, medication, surgery and furniture (commode, chairs etc) delivered to my house.
My bill £0.
Ive been off work for 2 months so far, im still getting paid and have no idea when I'll be returning. I'm not worried about it either.
Population size doesnt matter. All of europe over 400 million. Have more than 6 weeks paid time off, unlimited sick days (duhh). Over a year paid maternity and paternity etc
All of Europe over 740 million*
Population is irrelevant.
@matthewcharles5867 not really? Whenever an argument is conceived as to why the US can't bring itself to give the same rights, the go to is either the size of the US(Which is smaller then Europe) or the population of the US, since they think theirs is bigger then ours. Making these statistics quite relevant.
Yes really silly to justify that. The person is talking about the right pay to employees of McDonald's that is a billion company so money is no a problem to them is creedy that is the problem 😮
The truth is a had pill to swallow, I do hope things get better for the people of America.
You are a great example of parents/family heads putting the family first with love /time. All the best to you.
As a British citizen I look at USA as almost a third world country
You won first place in the game of life my friend.
No one in the UK even knows what medical debt is, the concept hasn't existed for over 75 years. The concept of paying is absurd, do american hospitals really have places to pay, theres no systems or infrastructure for taking payments in uk hospitals or doctors its a wild concept to us.
We do pay in taxes, but it is a much better system because we also have the choice of private health care,
if you are in the hospital they come to your room and ask for payment or some sort of "deposit". you always get a visit from the financial office in the first 24-48 hours.
Failure to pay means the end of your stay as soon as you are "stabilized".
I wish I could believe you ! I’m in debt to the dentist and to the eye people…. the NHS is being sold slowly and stealthily to American healthcare. We are far too complacent in the UK.
Don't forget Labour did NHS
@@Muckylittleme créeme eso siempre es un mal paso, no deberíamos permitir la sanidad privada nunca porque acabas pagando con fondos públicos parte de un negocio privado, los que quieran tener un negocio privado que se lo paguen ellos que para ellos son los beneficios, aquí en España tratan de privatizar cada vez más la sanidad pública siendo una de las mejores del mundo y gratuita( con los impuestos, claro), para conseguirlo se recortan gastos de inversión ena pública con lo cual se genera falta de personal médico, atraso en las visitas,etc. Sin embargo la privada recibe financiación pública así como la educación con lo cual son derechos esenciales que se deterioran con el tiempo hasta que los perdamos, curiosamente los impuestos no bajan los pagas multiplicados por dos,la parte que va a la pública más la parte que destinen a la privada ,todo para satisfacer a los empresarios que quieren hacer negocio con los derechos más básicos de las personas, que son los que nadie puede prescindir de ellos , todos comemos, necesitamos educación, salud, etc para nosotros y para ellos porque somos los que mantenemos nuestros países y somos tan poco críticos que eso nos parece normal
I'm an Australian and we have such a different attitude to what our society means to us. It's there for all of us, together. That's what mateship is all about. I have actually enjoyed listening to you both learn and discover the colour of our world and respond with well-articulated, intelligent and most of all considered and considerate thoughts. I like that a lot.
Yeah there’s always emphasis put on this so called “special relationship” between us in the UK and the USA and how we are each other greatest allies.
But I think most of us in the U.K. would definitely feel more aligned and have more things in common with the Aussies - similar values and don’t mind calling each other cnuts or whatever as a terms of endearment.
@@Steve_W27 I agree.
I am an Aussie, originally from the other parts of the world. I am really proud of the country I adopted and would do anything to protect the way of Aussie lives. We are really a great nation who care for humanity.
@@Steve_W27 bloody oath 😁
@@georgiegorge6679 🤣
So much for America being the greatest country in the world!!!
In NZ, by law workers are entitled to 20 days (4 weeks) annual leave + sick leave, bereavement leave, + 13 public holidays + family violence leave + parental leave (caring for a new child)
Can cash up not more than 1 week of annual leave because the purpose of annual leave is to take rests from work.
The above are minimum requirement by law.
An employer can offer more than the minimum including superannuation, long service leave or any other perks.
Just so you understand, here in Australia and many other countries, we have laws that protect citizens by having a basic wage set for each type of job. An employer can pay more than the basic wage but they’re not allowed to pay less than it, which means you can afford to live in a rented room at the very least, and pay for utilities, food and clothing etc. We have laws that govern employers and employees, annual leave, parental leave, sick leave and special leave. The law protects us and keeps us safe as citizens, including our food laws etc.
Same here in Germany, but there is one problem that's probably far more common here than in Australia - people from neighboring countries where the minimum wage is much lower get sent here to work for less than _our_ minimum wage.
There _is_ a relatively recent (European) law that says that anyone working within the borders of a specific country needs to be paid the minimum wage of that country, but _enforcing_ that is a huge issue, especially when the actual employees are either ignorant about their rights, or are hiding their low pay from the police due to a fear of losing their _relatively_ well-paid jobs (I'd have to dig up real numbers, but imagine someone getting paid 4 times as much as a comparable job would pay in _their_ country, while they would actually have to get paid 6 times as much - but if they complain and insist on their right, they get fired and need to work a much worse-paid job, while someone else is already waiting in line to take over theirs; so of course they don't complain). And controlling the businesses is outside German jurisdiction, that's up to the country that business is located in - and they often don't care enough or get bribed, it's not an actual problem for them afterall, on the contrary, it brings in money - it's "only" a problem for German businesses competing with those who can offer the same for less money due to lower wages.
What's considered "benefits" in the US, like vacation time, parental leave etc is considered rights in Europe.
No one here is like "My company is _giving_ me vacation time, or parental leave. It's just expected, they have to. It's laws and unions that gives us that. Governments and politicians that aren't in the pockets of the corporations. Don't Americans really like to say like "We the People", but is it just empty words? What power does the people really have, when the people are so dependant on the corporations, even for their health? It's like you're at their mercy, and has to be grateful for what you get.
Yeah. In Finland our benefits (on top of those mandatory rights) would be something like private health care and other health/self-care advantages, gym memberships and so on. Perhaps free/cheap(er) public transportation. Not that every company provides any but most larger ones that have actual hr departments do.
As far as I can tell (after some 15 years of looking a bit more closely at the USA, though always just "from the outside"), a _lot_ of US Americans are all too similar to people in North Korea: Completely ignorant about pretty much anything outside their small bubble, with at least _some_ level of indoctrination - and constant reinforcement and social pressure - to see that small bubble as the best that there is, so that they remain _wilfully_ ignorant about the rest of the world...
I'm a Swede in TN.I just read in the Swedish news that grandparents will soon be able to get paid parental leave when helping out with their grandchildren.Really groundbreaking and pretty darn cool imo.Great reaction as always,be safe down there and stay hydrated 🌞
Australia for many years. The Additional Child Care Subsidy Grandparent helps some grandparents and great-grandparents pay for approved child care for their grandchild or great-grandchild. To receive the Grandparent Subsidy, you or your partner must: Be eligible for the Child Care Subsidy. Get an income support payment (e.g. the age pension)
@bevhowell7665 That's awesome.Australia seems like a country that actually cares about its people.I'm only 5 years old in the US,but my feeling is that the people running this place couldn't care less about it's citizens......
Germany here.
First I have to make a demarcation as there are 2 laws around the birth of a child:
1) Mandatory Maternity leave (mother protection act): The mother has to stay at home (for the health of her & the baby) 6 weeks before due date and 8 weeks after giving birth. (Full payment by the healthcare provider).
2) Parental leave (more accurate ;-) parental child rearing time)
This was implemented about 35 years ago. Also included are grand-parents, other family members, long-term foster parents (e.g. when the birth parents refuse an adoption) and parents with an adopted child up to 8/18 years (the latter only in extrem situations). It all depends on who has official custody over a child.
The only big difference in this law between then and now is, that parents are allowed to switch up to 2 times (e.g. mother-father-mother) and that companies have to give fathers the same possibilities and rights as mothers.
BTW there is no difference in this law between hetero- or same-sex-parents! (Just a statement for absolute clarification!)
The parent gets its payment from the goverment for at least 14 months. Included thereby are health care and pension dues. The max. time frame is 3 years per child.
There are more regulations in those laws, but that would go into the fine details and make for a too long comment ;-)
Take care
I've conducted many interviews in my high tech industry for engineers - people with PhDs. I often see a section of their CV (resume) where there is something like McDonalds or a Tesco cashier. For me this is a huge plus, not a negative. Life happens to all of us, and being prepared to roll up our sleeves and deal with it will always attract me to that person.
I’m so glad you said that, I got my degree through the open university here in the UK and I thought that getting my degree that way would hold me back. I thought that people would see it in a lesser light than if I had attended Uni. But I got my degree in my late thirties whilst working to support myself and my family. I was so surprised that I got the first post I applied for. Move on some years and I was chatting to the ‘big boss’ at a function and I mentioned this. He said that the way I got my degree was seen as a plus, that it showed dedication and determination. I had never looked at it that way, it was simply the only way I knew I could progress.
I work in local government and just had my first child with my wife. My job is an outlier in the US where I did get 6 weeks of paid parental leave even though my wife who works for a private company only gets 4 weeks. I also get 4 weeks of Vacation per year and 2 weeks of sick leave. I wish more Americans had access to benefits like this.
I am currently experiencing the sickness system in Germany myself. I had a traffic accident at the beginning of May, my shin was broken. I was taken to hospital in an ambulance, was there for 2 weeks, had an operation (with everything that entails), now have physiotherapy and am on sick leave until at least the end of July. I also continue to receive my salary (the first 6 weeks from my employer, then from the health insurance fund). Even my employer says "just stay at home and get well first" (although I could work from home).
How much has it cost me so far, including medicine? Nothing, not a cent.
In the USA, that would be financial bankruptcy
@@baramuth71 it is not free someone has to pay. You pay monthly and the rest is tax payer. But you have never too worry about the sickness bill.
@@adzijderlaan7070 No, I don't need to worry about any bills, that's true.
What people in the USA don't understand is, yes, you in Europe pay more taxes than we do. But we also get a lot back that you don't get in the USA.
We don't pay 10 - 12000 dollars a year for school or university,
We don't pay the doctor's bill,
We don't have horrendous hospital bills, several 100,000 dollars for a hospital room alone is criminal.
We do not pay overpriced sums for medicine.
The whole system in the USA is total exploitation
Nope, the compulsory health insurances are not paid for by the tax payer, they are paid for by employers and employees at a fixed percentage of our monthly income. And our employers also have to have insurance against accidents and and other work related health issues through a "Berufsgenossenschaft".
@Station-Network
A happy worker is a good worker and loyal to the company. That can be worth way more than your time at work for a couple of weeks.
The guy at the start said that Americans are wilfully ignorant of the rest of the world. But America is run by corporations, right ? It is in their interests to keep you ignorant, not to realise that you are being shafted compared to all other countries. So perhaps individual Americans are not being wilfully ignorant. But corporations are wilfully keeping them that way ...
As Mitt Romney said "corporations are people, too". Or as Calvin Coolidge said: " the business of America is business." Or, as they said in the 1950s "what's good for General Motors is good for the USA." Or, as the Shrub and Cheney put it, "Iraqi oil will pay for the cost of the war."
But yes, Americans are willfully ignorant. They not only refuse to defer to expertise, they disparage it. Alexis de Toqueville found American anti-intellectualism disconcerting (in the 1820s!), especially in a place where innovation was valued.
This is gonna be a long comment, but you seem like people who really want to learn. I`m danish and let me tell you some of the benefits as you call them, we call them rights, i have. Before i start, let me say, american politicians and news stations constantly screams about socialism, it isn`t, Denmark is a very capitalist country, everything is privately owned and we have more millionaires per capita, than the USA. We do have taxpaid healthcare and education, simply because that is cheaper and more efficient and benefits us all as a country, but all the other other benefits i mention here, is simply due to Union membership, 80% of danish workers are Union members and that makes us really strong and able to negotiate good terms in the workfield, here`s some of them. 37H work week, a total of 8 weeks paid vacation and Holidays, full pay during sickness, no limits on the number of days, a years fully paid parental leave, and 8% on top of your wage put into a retirementfond, that is mandatory here, also for foreign countries like McDonalds, i have a niece that works for them, her average yearly income is ca. 45.000$. One more thing americans are usually told: But danes pay everything in taxes, no again not true, if you Google it the average income tax for danes is 34%, and i have over the years compared with 5 american friends, they pay less tax, but when we add all the things my taxes cover, healthcare, education and so on that theirs don`t, i always have more of my paycheck left to live for than any of them, and i still have a way better security net to take care of me. Overhere we always laugh when americans talk about the "radical left", there is no radical left, that is just how all other industrialized countries are governed, it`s the USA that has turned horribly rightwing the last 40 years.
The Americans don’t believe in unions? Your country does and so does mine, Australia. I’m in my 70s now but as a child and teenager I remember my father joined his work union to give the employees what was fair and right. I remember dad coming home saying, “we are striking again “. The union didn’t want a lot, they wanted fair wages and more humane working conditions - and they got them and went back to work.
I’m worried if they tried that in America, civil war would erupt. Many are told unions are so bad. I learned so much just listening to dad talk about it. But can Americans?
@@bernadettelanders7306 No they don`t, the brainwashing from Murdoch and his rich friends has been very successful, that`s why american workers has just about the worst conditions and longest hours in the developed world. Their rightwing news has managed to convince them that anything, like taxcuts for the rich is good american capitalism, and anything that could give the ordinary american a decent life, is horrible socialism.
Gejuje: As a fellow Dane, I agree 👍
I am 80 and was in the nurses union. We got a raise automatically every so often to keep up with inflation. No problems. I am Australian.
14:25 She says "That's craaaazzzyyy".
The rest of the western world says "That's nooorrrmmaall."
An American I used to ride with in the early '80's worked in a hospital as a research scientist while he was here in Aust. He said, one day, he found the best option to take when working in a foreign country is to keep your mouth shut & your ears & mind open.
14:30 i was about to say that! I always see americans say "crazy, thats crazy" and i always think noooo.... no whats crazy is the way you guys do things 😂❤
Never be ashamed of providing for your family. I'm from North Wales and the stories coming out of the USA are horrifying. Come live in the UK!
Here in Denmark we do appreciate even the street sweaper for keeping our street clean
As should be everywhere. I saw that in England years ago when visiting. I was really happy at that moment. Just to see people act with respect to each other regardless of status or income.
American has a tipping culture, which expects customers to give a tip to servers in restaurants and many other jobs. This is why Americans who visit UK and other countries can’t understand why they don’t have to tip.
The reason is that UK employers pay their staff good living wage, so their staff do not have to rely on tips.
In the end, the customer will pay their wage in one way or another
@@rebel4466 So what?
@@rebel4466apparently not always. I’ve i don’t take part of the tipping culture in America.
Now what??
People working in food/branches can’t pay their rent ... because of me⁉️😳😳😳😳 Wild
My daughter works at a popular restaurant in Ohio and is paid $4.00 an hour. She never sees a paycheck because the government takes it all. In addition she has to pay the restaurant 3% of the customers bill and is not allowed access to her non-cash tips for another 4 days. There should be laws to protect these servers.
19:05 that's the crucial point: "did you get any benefits..(...)...healthcare..."
The point is: Healthcare is not a benefit - it's a human right! At least if you ask anyone in the developped world outside the US.
I love that you make well balanced arguments, respect the human beings involved in stuff (eg low skill workers) and put your own personal spin on things. Very thoughtful video.
A job at McDonald’s is not an embarrassment, lots of different people work in these restaurants here in the UK not just students , or Ex-criminals
America the Land of the Free, if you are a gun, a car or a corporation. Ordinary Human citizens are just a necessity to make those freedoms for guns cars and corporations, not for themselves
When I was working, if I wanted NOT to use all of my paid annual leave in a specific year, I had to apply in writing to carry that leave over to the next year, with my reason for wanting to save the leave. Usually it was so that I could travel somewhere overseas. In Australia, and I think in New Zealand, we also have long service leave, which is in addition to our annual leave. We get 9 days for each year of work, which increased the longer we were employed. By the time I retired, I was receiving an extra 15 days annually. We also have compulsory superannuation, where the employer is legally obliged to pay a specified percentage of your wages into a superannuation fund. This percentage (12% at present) doesn't come out of your wages, it's IN ADDITION to your wages.
I find it so wholesome to see your reactions. I admire that you're open to learning new things that contradict what you were probably told most of your life ('m sorry, I do not mean this in any kind of condescending way). Of course Europe isn't perfect either, far from it. To be fair, in higher skilled jobs, US companies vuluntarily offer much better conditions and benefits because otherwise nobody qualified would work for them. I know because I have worked for both US and European companies (I'm German). But it's about the most vulnerable group of the population, those that don't/can't earn a lot. That's what a society is for, to make sure EVERYONE is taken care of. Because for a variety of reasons, everyone can find themselves in a situation where they rely on society. That's why unions are very popular in Europe. I can only speak for Germany but over here, unions and management work together constructively (for the most part) in order to achieve the best for both the company and workers. In times of economic recession, unions might agree to wage or work time cuts in exchange for the company not sacking people. It helps everyone. And one of the biggest differences between Germany and the US is: In Germany companies' main focus is on long-term sustainability instead of only focussing on shareholder-value or the next quarter.
Sorry for the wall of text. I really appreciate your open-mindedness.
Great reaction. Even the language that corporate America uses, what they term worker’s benefits we in the UK and Europe refer to as worker’s rights. Well done to your relative in turning his life around. As regards low income jobs when my adult son was between jobs he worked as an early morning cleaner at Aldi and I couldn’t have been more proud 😊
And he didn't even talk about the paid maternity leave for farthers, often 3 month or being payed 1000 dollars/month for studying.
Europe invest in people and it is worth it.
He did get into that a bit later. It's sad
"maternity leave for farthers"
Paternity leave.
Farthers are farther away
You might have a TEAM USA in the Olympics but you don't have it in the society.
As a UK citizen, American's could justifiably say the same about NATO and our totally inadequate attempts to build sufficient forces to defend ourselves, hiding behind the American coat tails.
Quite frankly, in this ever more dangerous world, Europeans (which includes the UK) in the last 30 years, have spent money that should be used for defence, on giving our citizens a good life. While that's a worthy goal the primary purpose of any Government is to defend itself and its citizens.
@@UnknownUser-rb9pd As a Finnish man I could argue that this isn't the case in every Nato member country. In case of war Finland could, in reasonable time, get around 1 million armed fighters, who have army experience, due to the transcription system here. But preparing for war is not an excuse for not taking care of your society and citizens. Ecpecially as those citizens in the worst case scenario should be fit enough to fight.
@@jaaskai I agree that Finland is better prepared than many though you of course only just joined. However it is not just men but ammunition and equipment and as the Ukraine war has demonstrated unless you have very large stocks of ammunition and spare military equipment eventually an opponent like Russia will wear you down. At the end of the cold war the UK defence spending was 4% of GDP and the last time the UK fought a war alone in 1982 against Argentina, it was 6% of GDP. We are now hoping to boost it from a little over 2% to 2.5% by the end of the decade and have ammunition stocks that would last a couple of weeks at best in the Ukraine war. And the UK is one of the higher spending European nations on defence.
@@UnknownUser-rb9pd true. On the other hand Finland has guite a lot of spare ammunition and military equipment stored to be used if needed and because we are sityated where we are it would be idiotism to hand all of those to Ukraine as nuch as we want to. Joining Nati was never before an option because we know from experience that you can't rely on other countries helping. For example in the Winter War against the Soviet Union we were promised by UK etc that we will be helped, but almost nothing arrived. It is the same country with different name that is being the invader in Ukraine now. We know how they work and think. Help is being provided by Nato countries, but not enough. Not even close. It is as was for us back in the days when my grabdfathers generation fought against Soviet tanks with what ever they could get their hands on, Molotov cocktail s, birch logs erc. Luckily there were enough of them willing to die for our country. The problem in my perspective is that in USA there is no collective need or will to take care of their own people. And eventualy as the younger generations realize rhat, thanks to these videos, sonething will happen and it might not be pretty. When it does us Europeans have to deal with Russia ourselves.
@@jaaskai I agree that Finland is much better prepared due to your location and being independent for so long. I also agree that Europe has to be prepared to fight without America and we Europeans need to unite as never before (I was ashamed about UK Brexit). And actually the Ukraine war has been very useful in depleting Russia's massive stores of ammunition and equipment.
However you are a small country with limited facilities. Russia is going to produce more artillery shells this year than every NATO country combined, including America. And that is after most NATO countries have increased production. Even next year, NATO will struggle to match Russia as NATO countries ramp up production. In other ways we're also vulnerable. For instance as far as I know, even a country like the UK with nearly 70 million people has two main armaments factories. One producing bullets and small calibre ammunition and one producing artillery shells. That means one missile strike could potentially stop production of vital ammunition. It is I believe a similar situation with far fewer storage facilities and supply depots which over the last 30+ years have been reduced as the military has shrank and the amount of equipment has been reduced. That again makes us vulnerable, particularly now that long range missiles are so much better and our air defence missiles are so expensive that stocks are again limited.
I'm sure Finland could carry out a guerrilla war against Russia for a long time and make the more remote parts of your country difficult for them to operate but you can see from the situation in Ukraine that they are willing to sacrifice huge amounts of men and equipment and your major population centres would be overrun. In addition they would also be able to use their large navy which has a lot of submarines and ships with cruise missiles. At the moment they are restricted against Ukraine as Turkey closed access to the Black Sea.
In the winter war and in WW2 it was easier to fight the sort of war they did because military equipment was cheap and could easily be manufactured in one country. Countries like the UK churned out tens of thousands of tanks and armoured vehicles. And simple solutions like Molotov cocktail you mentioned were often effective. Nowadays, vehicles have far more effective armour and protection. And the arms required to disable this equipment is much more complex. Parts can come from lots of different countries and if this is not available it is often impossible to source it elsewhere. If single component (for example a Taiwanese chip) is unavailable for two years because they do not have the capacity to produce it, then it can be impossible to produce the arms. I believe the US army has a two year lead time on the Stinger missile for example. That's two years before a single missile can be produced.
Anyway, both Finland and Sweden are very welcome members of NATO and add valuable forces in strategically important parts of Europe. I just hope that we never need to fight together.
I enjoy how you both interact with one another - mutually respectful and refreshing - a model for unreconstructed blokes like me - thanks for the example 😊
Hardly any other country is as indebted as the USA.
I worked in a QSR one day when I had a horrible customer come in and was a basic bully and condescending, I served him politely and as he left he turned to me and said "That is why I am successful and you are not". I smiled, because he didn't realise I owned the shop, filling a shift and was doing OK, thank you very much. When a customer turns to you you and says "I pay your wages", remember no you don't my boss does.
Shocking! I'm from the UK and I had 1 year off maternity plus I was allowed time off for appointments. I have twins so I was having appointments every week towards the end.
Growing up in New Zealand, I always looked up to America. I never would have thought that in such a short time I would be feeling sorry for Americans. But I really do :( And honestly, we all do. I have conversations here about how sad the state of things have gotten over there.
I briefly lived in America around a decade ago, and I loved it. It is a magical place and Americans are lovely people. But boy, was I glad to come home
in my country, there is something like this: "holidays under the pear tree" - it is additional money that your employer pays you when you go on (paid) leave for more than 2 weeks. So you not only get a normal salary, but extra money for going on vacation
I loved visiting America. But I am happy to live in Australia.
What comes through watching this is your both nice people.
Thanks for the video.
UNIONS are the strength of workers. Get UNIONIZED !
Aussie aren’t you😊 same here. Yes I know a bit about some unions here in Aus, hard work, from what I remember in the 70s, but getting results was brilliant for the worker. Many unions fought hard for the employees. I remember work strikes in the 60s and 70s until the workers got what they deserved.
I hope you can look back at Reagan's legacy and the fact he told the striking union members they would be fired if they did not return to jobs. That is only one reason why Americans are afraid of joining unions. Your point about unions is valid but it's not that easy in the US
@@Agra586
Unions must be difficult in each of our countries.
@@Agra586 In Australia unions have weight within the political landscape..
BUT Joe Biden is getting behind the Unions and validating them. Workers need a United voice as in Australia. We had the Basic wage back in 1917. It’s our backbone, thanks to the strong Union movement.
Well done for showing this 👏 Second Thought is a great channel. America needs a revolution!
Work/life balance in France : 35h/w - 5 weeks paid vacation.
Just for you to realize, it means 3 weeks in July or August and I still have 2 weeks for Christmas or whatever!
Oh, and we usually work 39h/w so, we have recuperation days that we use 1 day at a time when we need to! 😂
Im subscribed to Second Thought. Great channel❤
Ooooo Socialism🙀😂
Hi from Australia.
Hello you two, It is funny how many people think that Socialism ist the same as Communism. I am caring for my neighbors, who have to work hard, I also care for the people who go to a special store, where they can buy affordable food (Donated by our super markets) and second hand clothings. That means I am a Socialist, not a communist. If you are not allowed to care for others.......... You got me.
Be safe.
Elmar from Germany
I'm from Germany and having a job without paid vacation days sounds crazy to me! Everyone needs a break and time to rest!
They are able to pay their workers more, they just choose not to and you accept it 🤷♀️
America - everything is always about the money, always, always, always.
"It's called the American dream because you have to be asleep to believe it.".....George Carlin
Thank you both so much for showing this and your comments.
America... Wake up....
its kinda like gaslighting, u get told you're in the greatest place, and therefore, u can never speak out against problems
In my country, the garbage collector gets paid a minimum of 2,300 Euros monthly. Postman gets 6000. Teacher starts at 6,000 entry level.
Mike summed it up well at the start no American will watch this, so will live in ignorance. I admire you both for putting family first and financial sacrifices. We also did the same my wife stayed at home to look after the children while i worked, family life is so important to us.
I'm from the UK and need a hip replacement soon. Cost of doctors appointment-zero. Cost of appointment with orthopaedic surgeon-zero. Cost of preliminary investigations eg bloods, swabs, ECG-zero. Cost of surgery-zero- Cost of rehab-zero. Paid whilst recovering? Employer pays full salary for six months. Paid annual leave?-41 days. God bless America.
It's not free.
It's free at point of need.
@@simonrobbins8357 Yes, it's true; some are more fortunate than others, but at least there's a safety net. A minimum standard enforced by law. And of course I meant the NHS is free at the point of delivery. I should know; I work in the NHS!
@@Bobmudu35UK yet the cost in tax contributions is far far far far less than people in the US have to pay for their healthcare, which they get far far far far less of!
Unless we get rid of money it will never change!
Second Thought is fantastic, the world needs a lot more content creators like that.
People need to stop measuring wealth by the number of rich people and start measuring it by the absence of poverty.
#fuckcapitalism
About the food quality: The video "How the US ruined bread" says more than enough about that!!!
Here in uk, its a good job, n theres courses n u work ur way up from basic to the top. N valued😊😊
Almost all of these things haven't been freely given, they have been fought for by strong unions fighting and campaigning for the workers.
In UK health care is a right and owning a gun a privilege. In the USA it is exactly the opposite reasoning.
You must be asleep, to believe in that American Dream ( George Carlin )
'We don't have a dream in Great Britain. We Don't!! There is no British dream. This isn't because we lack some sense of moral purpose. This isn't because we haven't got a sense of guiding destiny taking us to a better tomorrow. We don't have a dream in this country because we're awake!!' (Al Murray)
Which is absolutely objectionable, these people work hard for the little money, but the CEO's in the leadership pocket several million dollars in bonuses.
The whole thing belongs in court, it's pure exploitation
in another video I saw that California has raised the minimum wage to 20 dollars, and McDonalds doesn't want to pay that and is therefore leaving California.
I respect you for your sacrifices. You are doing a good job in highlighting such things, hopefully this is going to make some positive changes for all.
Our second son worked at a company for about 2 or 3 months and he went on a three week vacation with his mother. After one week back home in The Netherlands he went for another week. All paid.
Change comes from the people!