Spain moves forward with a proposed law to shorten the working week to 37.5 hours

Spain may soon move to a shorter week with workers enjoying 2.5 hours more rest after the government on Tuesday approved a bill that would reduce official

working hours

From 40 hours down to 37.5 hours.

Once implemented, this legislation will move forward to the Spanish parliament for further consideration. It has the potential to positively impact 12.5 million full-time and part-time employees in the private sector, enhancing productivity and cutting down on absences, as stated by Spain’s Ministry of Labour.

“We are modernizing the realm of labor today and aiding individuals to find greater happiness,” stated Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz, leading the party Sumar which is part of the present leftist coalition administration.

The regulation, which currently pertains to government employees and certain industries, would predominantly impact retail, manufacturing, hospitality, and construction, according to Díaz.

The administration led by Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez lacks a definitive majority in the parliament, which necessitates approval of the bill within this legislative body for it to be enacted as law.

The main trade unions have expressed support for the proposal, unlike business associations.

Sumar, the far-left minor coalition ally of Sánchez’s Socialist Party, introduced the legislation.

The Catalan nationalist party Junts, an occasional ally of Sánchez’s coalition, expressed concern over what it said would be negative consequences for small companies and the self-employed under a shorter working week.

The alliance must juggle the requirements from Junts and various minor parties to ensure the legislation gets approved.

Spain has had a 40-hour workweek since 1983, when it was reduced from 48 hours.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been moves to change working habits with various pilot schemes launched in Spain to potentially introduce a

four-day workweek

, including a

smaller trial in Valencia

.

The results of the month-long programme suggested that workers had benefited from longer weekends, developing healthier habits such as taking up sports, as well as reducing their stress levels.