The proposal, made by the left-wing LIVRE party, has been approved in the Portuguese parliament.
Not many details have been announced about the project to test a four-day working week, but the proposal by the Portuguese left-wing party Livre, which has only one MP in parliament, has been approved in the Portuguese parliament in the debate on the state budget.
In a very similar way to the pilot project promoted by Compromís in the Valencian Community and Más País at national level, the Portuguese government has committed with this initiative to promote and finance a pilot project that could study ways to increase productivity, different models of business organisation or study mixed forms of teleworking.
For the time being, according to Agencia EFE, the proposal should promote a national debate and social consultation on “new models of work organisation, including the four-day working week, as a way of promoting greater reconciliation between work and personal and family life”.
Meeting in Valencia
On 27 and 28 May, the first International Summit on the Four-Day Week will be held in the city of Valencia, bringing together politicians from various countries, academics who have researched the advantages of the shorter working day, trade unions, employers who are already implementing the shorter working day and different personalities to discuss international alliances, public policies and exchange business strategies that are already in place.
Several members of parties from the Spanish left-wing spectrum will take part in the round table discussions. Among them will be Enric Nomdedéu, regional secretary for Employment of the Generalitat Valenciana and promoter, together with Joan Sanchís, of the Valencian pilot project; Nacho Álvarez, secretary of State for Social Rights of Unidas Podemos; the MP for Más País Íñigo Errejón and the MP in the Madrid Assembly for Más Madrid Héctor Tejero, the latter two promoters of the pilot project that has been approved at national level. Unai Sordo and Pepe Álvarez, general secretaries of CC OO and UGT, respectively, will also attend.
Friday’s event will be closed by the vice-president and councillor for Inclusive Policies of the Generalitat, Mónica Oltra, and the second vice-president and minister for Employment and Social Economy of the Spanish government, Yolanda Díaz.
