Last February 18, the Time Use Initiative (TUI) held meetings with the majority of political groups in the Congress of Deputies to analyse the benefits of reducing and rationalising the working day.
On February 4, the Council of Ministers approved the Draft Law for the reduction of the maximum duration of the ordinary working day to 37.5 hours per week, as well as measures to improve the recording of hours and encourage digital disconnection.
During the meeting, specific strategies were also shared with the deputies of the different political parties to facilitate the implementation of these measures to rationalise and reduce working hours for small and medium-sized companies and the service sector, critical sectors in the adaptation to the new working day.
As stated by the director of the TUI, Marta Junqué, “this measure will be the spearhead for the rationalization of working hours in Spain,” which is key to aligning the country with European standards and improving the quality of life of workers and improving the productivity and competitiveness of Spanish companies.
The participants in the meetings were:
- Marta Junqué, director of the Time Use Initiative
- Joan Sanchís, economist and professor at the University of Valencia
- María Luz Vega, an expert in labour legislation and ex-ILO technician.
Context
The Time Use Initiative was in charge of preparing the foundational study for the Law on Time Use and Hourly Rationalization for the Ministry of Work and Social Economy of the Government of Spain in 2023, where the reasons for justifying a future comprehensive law are set out and 22 measures in the workplace and 84 multi-sectoral measures are proposed to ensure a balanced, healthier and more efficient organisation of time.
The reduction to 37.5 hours will benefit 12.5 million working people, especially in hospitality and commerce sectors where long hours persist.
With this meeting, the Time Use Initiative reinforces its role as a benchmark in time policies, aligning itself with ILO recommendations and promoting a more sustainable and equitable model.
