The Prime Minister, Treasure and the Industrial Relations Minister have all hosed down the proposition by the ACTU of implementing a four days week, which the ACTU is going to raise in the economic reform roundtable in Canberra next week.

Federal Government Distances Itself From a 4 Day Working Week

The Prime Minister, Treasure and the Industrial Relations Minister have all hosed down the proposition by the ACTU of implementing a four days week, which the ACTU is going to raise in the economic reform roundtable in Canberra next week.

The ACTU is advocating that employees work 20% less hours, however they would retain payment as if they were working 100% of the hours involved in a 38 hour week. My thinking is that from an employer’s perspective the ACTU should commence the ball rolling by implementing what they are advocating in their own offices with their own employees, leading from the front if you like.However I do not think that is the case.

Where the ACTU and the Greens see a shorter working week, in which pay and entitlements are maintained but the hours are reduced as an important way to improve wellbeing and work/life balance.Where that may be true, the cost and burden of this initiative will of course fall to the business owner.

Without government support there is not much chance of this proposal getting any air.However, my thinking is that this initiative will be the next major plank in future enterprise bargaining.Whether it will occur by small bites over a few years or through one big bite is yet to be seen, but it is on the agenda for future action.