A split in Spain's left-wing coalition government over a plan to implement a shorter working week with the same pay broke into the open today, Friday, after the country's labour minister accused the economy minister of "siding with employers". Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz, who leads the far-left Sumar party, told state radio broadcaster RNE there were "manifest disagreements" with Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's Socialist Party over the plan, and appealed to colleagues to "respect the committee of experts" that drew it up.
Spanish government rift over shorter working week breaks into the open
Higher labour costs could fuel inflation and curb job creation.
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@richardpearson you talk as if my retirement age going up is something new? That’s been happening world wide thanks to the generation before me. I’ve been well aware from an early age growing up in the 90s that I would probably not have access to a pension at the age of 60 like so may of the generation above me. So if I can currently be paid more to work less and enjoy the time I have off now I will take that opportunity. Pensions will be a thing of the past by the time I get there but that’s been predicted long before the discusión to cut back working hours came into play.
George WarnerIt’s 40 hpw because that’s the agreement between the employers and the unions. If, or when the law changes, your contract will reflect the new maximum, never the minimum. As you know, the company you work for has unilaterally decided to shorten staff hours, against the recommendation of the hoteliers association. Great for you, but at the end of the day it’s the bottom line that counts. More staff will mean a higher payroll and more social costs. They are on a roll at the moment, for how long it’s anyone’s guess. And if the roll slows down and they can’t afford these added costs, service and staff numbers will suffer. Of course the government, any government love higher payrolls and social cost expenditures as it means more money for them in taxes. What they don’t say is that these aren’t enough to cover the added health care costs and more importantly, future pension costs. Unfortunately, the way things are looking, the time you spend not working now will be spent working to reach your official retirement age, which has just gone up (again). As have, apparently, your share of the social costs paid to the state. But maybe I’m just old fashioned, being one of those people who thinks that working longer hours and being paid for them is the way to have a better future prosperity. It’s the only way if you are unfortunate enough to work for yourself or have a job on the side, which you wouldn’t do as you want to enjoy your free time with family and friends 😊
@richard pearson that’s where your wrong. My contract is still 40 hours a week. Our cleaning department starting from this season will have 3 days off a week after they reach a certain age whilst still being paid for 40 Hours a week. The new generation of companies are doing what’s best for the employee as they have realised especially when it comes to customer service… the happier the staff the better service provided.
George WarnerGeorge, I hope you realize that the less hours you work now will mean that you will have to work more years before you are able to retire.
So many employers ignore the existing labour laws that I'd say the priority should be enforcing the existing laws, rather than implementing changes to them.
For all of you saying it won’t work…. The company I work for was the first company to implement this and all staff worked 38.5 hours a week for the same pay as 40.. guess what… it worked. The company didn’t lay anyone off and actually increased its staff. The world is changing and we MUST change with it. You only have one life and if the opportunity to enjoy a little bit of extra time with your family or doing things you love is possible why not take it?
Typical lazy attitude !
If I was an employer in Spain and my business was typical of the good times/bad times cycles of every SME I'd be shaking my head in disbelief. Clearly none of the members of the left-wing coalition government have a commercial background otherwise they'd know that no business on this planet can sustain shorter hours for the same pay and keep their heads above water. The consequences of this legislation if passed are staff lay-offs, redundancies and business closures. Stupidity.