Europa Press Business Leaders Criticize Yolanda Díaz for Imposing Workday Reduction
The reduction of the working day is one of the measures included in the coalition agreement between PSOE and Sumar.
On February 4th, the Council of Ministers approved the decree establishing this reduction in working hours. However, the measure still requires Parliament's approval, where the Government doesn't have a clear majority.
The proposal faces resistance from parties like Junts and the Spanish Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE).
Antonio Garamendi, president of the CEOE, and Lorenzo Amor, leader of the Association of Self-Employed Workers (ATA), have expressed their opposition to the reduction of the working day. They argue that the measure could increase labor costs and affect companies' competitiveness. Both leaders have expressed their intention to lobby in Congress to halt the initiative.
Yolanda Díaz defends the reduction of the working day as progress in workers' rights. She claims that the measure will improve employees' productivity and mental health. Díaz argues that current technology allows for a more balanced distribution of working time.
The minister has also replied to the criticisms from the Catalan employers' association Foment del Treball, whose president, Josep Sánchez Llibre, described the measure as an "unacceptable imposition". Díaz replied that in a democracy "the people rule, not the companies," emphasizing the public support for the reduction of the working day.
Despite proposals for flexibility, negotiations between the Government and the employers' association haven't reached a consensus. The CEOE insists that the reduction of the working day should be a matter of collective bargaining between employers and unions, without governmental impositions.
The reduction of the working day is one of the measures included in the coalition agreement between PSOE and Sumar. According to this agreement, the maximum working day would be 38.5 hours in 2024 and 37.5 hours in 2025. The measure is already implemented in the public sector.
Studies in other countries that have implemented shorter working days suggest benefits such as improvements in productivity and workers' health. However, the application of these measures varies according to each nation's economic and labor context.
The debate on the reduction of the working day in Spain continues, with opposing positions between the Government, unions, and business organizations. Parliamentary approval and the implementation of the measure will depend on the negotiations and agreements reached in the coming months.
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