Spain To Launch Trial of Four-Day Working Week
Spain could become one of the first countries in the world to trial the four-day working week after the government agreed to launch a modest pilot project for companies interested in the idea. From a report: Earlier this year, the small leftwing Spanish party Mas Pais announced that the government had accepted its proposal to test out the idea. Talks have since been held, with the next meeting expected to take place in the coming weeks. "With the four-day work week (32 hours), we're launching into the real debate of our times," said Inigo Errejon of Mas Pais on Twitter. "It's an idea whose time has come." From New Zealand to Germany, the idea has been steadily gaining ground globally. Hailed by its proponents as a means to increase productivity, improve the mental health of workers and fight climate change, the proposal has taken on new significance as the pandemic sharpens issues around wellbeing, burnout and work-life balance. Leftwing parties in Spain -- where a 44-day strike in Barcelona in 1919 resulted in the country becoming one of the first in western Europe to adopt the eight-hour workday -- have seized on the idea. "Spain is one of the countries where workers put in more hours than the European average. But we're not among the most productive countries," said Errejon. "I maintain that working more hours does not mean working better." While the exact details of the pilot will be hashed out with the government, his party has proposed a three-year, $59.6 million project that would allow companies to trial reduced hours with minimal risk. The costs of a company's foray into the four-day work week, for example, could be covered at 100% the first year, 50% the second year and 33% the third year. "With these figures, we calculate that we could have around 200 companies participate, with a total of anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 workers," said Hector Tejero of Mas Pais. "The only red lines are that we want to see a true reduction of working hours and no loss of salary or jobs."
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