Europeans willing to work longer ... for more pay

Around 70% of the workers interviewed in five countries (UK, France, Spain, Italy and Germany) expressed a desire to work a longer working week if they were paid more. Not surprisingly, France, which has a mandatory 35-hours working week, has the highest number of interviewees expressing a wish to work more (75%). When asked whether governments should be allowed to establish mandatory retirement ages, the results are mixed. In the UK, 22% say yes with 65% rejecting a government-set retirement age. French and German workers also do not want their governments to decide when they should retire but the margins are much smaller (France 42% yes and 51% no; Germany 34% yes and 54% no). However, in Italy (47% yes- 45% no) and especially in Spain (72% yes - 23% no) people want the government to set the retirement age. Read more: Eurogates. Forum of education news