Spain working towards four day week with no pay cut for employees says Pablo Iglesias

WORKERS in Spain could soon be enjoying a four day week under proposals being considered by the country’s left-wing government.

The Spanish finance ministry is examining proposals to offer financial incentives to companies that reduce the working week to 32 hours without cutting employees salaries. 

Second Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias has said they are studying how shorter working hours could help boost employment and productivity as part of the 2021 budget.

Speaking in an interview to RTVE on Thursday the Labour Minister said: “The reduction of the working day, the control of overtime, the right to disconnect or work-life balance are elements that must be discussed in this necessary debate “

The 50 million euro plan to offer grants to companies who cut working hours with no pay loss  was proposed by small left-wing party Más País. 

Íñigo Errejón, an MP from the Más País party said last month that it was a ‘policy for the future’. 

He said: “Now that we have to rebuild our economy, Spain has the perfect opportunity to go for the four-day or 32-hour week.

“It is a policy for the future that allows for an increase in the productivity of workers, improvements to physical and mental health and reduces our impact on the environment.

“We must put ourselves at the forefront of Europe as we did 100 years ago with the shift to an 8 hour working day.”