Spain approves bill to reduce workweek to 37.5 hours, heads to Parliament

Spain's government has taken a significant step towards improving work-life balance by approving a bill that would reduce the workweek from 40 hours to 37.5 hours.

The bill, which was approved on May 6, will now head to parliament for further deliberation and approval, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

If enacted, the legislation would benefit approximately 12.5 million full-time and part-time private sector workers. According to the Ministry of Labor, the new measure is expected to enhance productivity, reduce absenteeism, and provide workers with an extra 2.5 hours of rest each week.

"Today, we are modernizing the world of labor and helping people to be a little happier," said Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz, who heads the left-wing party Sumar (Joining Forces). The proposed reduction would largely affect workers in industries such as retail, manufacturing, hospitality, and construction, sectors where long working hours are common.

The measure is not new to some sectors, as civil servants and certain other groups already operate under a shorter workweek. However, this bill marks an effort to extend the reduction to a broader swath of the private sector.

While the approval of the bill by the government is a significant step, it still faces hurdles in parliament. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's left-wing coalition government lacks a clear majority, meaning the bill must garner support from other parties to pass. The major trade unions in Spain have expressed their backing for the proposal, seeing it as a positive move for workers' well-being, though business associations have raised concerns.

The bill was proposed by Sumar, the hard-left minority partner of Sánchez’s Socialist Party, and is seen as a crucial part of their ongoing labor reform agenda. However, the Catalan nationalist party Junts (Together), which occasionally supports Sánchez's coalition, has voiced concerns about the potential negative consequences the bill could have for small businesses and the self-employed.

Junts has argued that a shorter workweek could impose additional burdens on smaller companies, which may struggle to adapt to the changes. As the bill moves forward, Sánchez’s government will need to navigate the differing demands of Junts and other smaller parties to secure the necessary votes for passage.

Since 1983, Spain has operated under a 40-hour workweek, a reduction from the previous 48-hour standard. If the new bill passes, it will represent a further shift towards improving the balance between work and personal life for Spanish workers.

By Vafa Guliyeva