Spain has decided to reduce the workweek from 40 to 37.5 hours. This decision has already been approved by the government, but it still needs to be approved by parliament for it to come into effect, Reuters reports.
Under the new change, workers will work five days a week, each day lasting 7.5 hours. Yolanda Díaz, the Minister of Labor who proposed the reform, stated that the measure is aimed at improving the quality of life, reducing working hours, and increasing economic efficiency.
Carlos Cuéllar, the Minister of Economy, noted that the parliamentary vote will be challenging, but he is already negotiating with lawmakers. Díaz added that given the public support, it is difficult to find reasons to oppose the initiative.
However, opposition forces have spoken out against the reduction in working hours. The Catalan party “Together for Yes” and the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (the main employers’ lobby) believe that the change will lead to increased costs for companies and reduce their competitiveness. Negotiations between the government and employers collapsed after the latter stated that working hours should be regulated by collective agreements, not by law.
