A Merseyside MP is today backing a bill to see a four-day working week introduced nationally.
Bootle MP Peter Dowd has introduced an amendment to the Working Time Regulations 1998 in Parliament in a bid to reduce the hours of the maximum working week from 48 hours to 32 hours. This would result in the number of days in the working week being reduced to four.
In April this year, the ECHO reported that 60 companies across the country had already introduced the reduced working week, with around 3,000 employees being affected. Companies that signed up for the trial ranged from large marketing firms to charities and breweries, with the campaign lasting six months.
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Now, Mr Dowd is looking to adapt the working week for all. In a video published on social media ahead of his appearance in Parliament, he said: "This week in Parliament I am introducing new legislation to reduce the maximum working week from 48 hours to 32 hours.
"This will give everyone the right to a four-day working week. The people of this country are long overdue a shorter working week. Automation and technological advances mean that we can achieve much more in a shorter amount of time. However, currently, British workers are putting in some of the longest working hours in Europe and yet our productivity is comparatively low so it's time for change.
"Numerous studies have shown that a four-day week with no loss of pay leads to greater productivity as well as a boost to employee well-being. The same tired old arguments about the economy suffering that were made that were made against the introduction of the weekend, against holiday pay, maternity pay and living wage are being made now against a four-day week.
"These arguments were wrong then and they are wrong now and the growing number of businesses adopting the four-day week successfully in this country are proving them wrong. Long working hours [and] low wages are no way to live.
The movement for a shorter working week is growing in strength and momentum so I'm proud to be launching this bill."
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