The Albanese government has not ruled out the possibility of a four-day work week, following union claims that shorter hours could boost national productivity.
The French-style idea is expected to be discussed at a three-day productivity roundtable in August, where strategies to tackle Australia’s weak economic growth will be debated.
Major business groups have already submitted their proposals to the roundtable, advocating for a corporate tax cut as a means to revive faltering productivity.
Meanwhile, the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) are pushing for a better work-life balance.
AMWU national secretary Steve Murphy argued that reducing work hours through options such as a four-day week, a nine-day fortnight, or a 35-hour week could be key to improving productivity without reducing pay.
‘Where we would like it to get is that there is a much more healthy balance between time at work and time with your family and time for leisure than what it is right now,’ Mr Murphy said.
On Sunrise on Tuesday, Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek declined to rule out the four-day week when asked directly by host Monique Wright.
‘Could we be seeing a four-day working week?’
The Albanese government has not ruled out a four day working week after unions claimed shorter hours would bolster the nation’s productivity
Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek said the government would listen to all suggestions at the productivity roundtable in August
‘Well, we’ll listen to all views respectfully,’ Plibersek said.
‘The Treasurer’s roundtable on productivity, I think is a great way of bringing unions and business and other groups together to discuss how we make our economy stronger and more productive.
‘What we won’t be doing to improve productivity is ask people to work longer for less.
‘We want to invest in our people, boost training, invest in technologies and new ways of working, make sure that we’re playing to our competitive advantages as a nation.
‘That’s how we boost productivity.’
Speaking about the upcoming productivity roundtable, Mr Albanese said he wanted businesses, unions and civil society to put forward practical measures that have ‘as broad a support as possible’.
‘If you had a choice between, do you have less things with more support, or more things with less broad support, then I’m in favour of the former,’ Albanese said.
‘The danger in something like that is you just have a list (of things) that aren’t progressed.’
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will convene the three-day roundtable from August 19 in Canberra, along with representatives from businesses, unions and community organisations.
Representatives from the Australian Council of Trade Unions have received four of 24 invitations to the upcoming economic reform roundtable.
The roundtable will also include delegates from the Business Council, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and the Australian Industry Group, among others.
France introduced a four-day week in 2000 but there are concerns a similar policy in Australia could worsen the nation’s productivity crisis.
Bad productivity from weaker output means costs are often passed on to consumers, leading to higher prices and inflationary pressures.
