Goodbye 40-hour week? Spain moves closer to a shorter workweek as Parliament considers historic bill to cut hours for over 12 million workers

Spain is making a bold move towards redefining the future of work, as it has taken a step that could impact the daily lives of over 12.5 million workers, the Spanish government approved a bill to reduce the standard workweek from 40 hours to 37.5 hours, as per a report.

Spain Moves to Shorten Workweek for Millions

The bill, which was unveiled on Tuesday, now will go to the Spanish parliament for approval, according to Euronews. If approved, it would be the country's first official decrease in working hours since 1983 and usher in a big change for private sector workers in sectors like manufacturing, construction, hospitality, and retail, as per the report.

The country's Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz said, "Today, we are modernising the world of labour and helping people to be a little happier," quoted Euronews.

Political Roadblocks Ahead

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's administration has a steep fight ahead of it to have its suggested reduced workweek passed into legislation since it does not have a majority in parliament, according to the report. That means the approval of the bill rests on obtaining votes from smaller parties, some of which are already complaining, as per Euronews.

While the nation's largest trade unions are supporting the shift to reduce the standard workweek to 37.5 hours, business organizations are opposed to it, cautioning that it may pose problems, particularly for small firms, as per the report.

The plan was proposed by Sumar, Sánchez's left-wing junior coalition partner, but one of its occasional allies, the Catalan nationalist party Junts, has been sceptical about the proposal, as per Euronews. Junts are concerned that the reduced time could harm small businesses and self-employed workers under a shorter working week, reported Euronews.

According to the report, the coalition government would have to balance the demands of Junts and other smaller parties to get the bill passed.

FAQs

What is Spain’s new workweek proposal?
The Spanish government wants to reduce the standard workweek from 40 to 37.5 hours, as per Euronews.

Has Spain done this before?
Yes, but not recently. The last official reduction in work hours was in 1983, when the week was cut from 48 to 40 hours.