We will work five hours less a week in ten years. That is what a social democratic working group is proposing today. According to the proposal, the shortening should take place gradually by one hour less each year from 2030 to 2035.
Labor market minister Johan Pehrson (L), however, calls the proposal a dubious experiment.
A working group within the Social Democrats proposes that full-time working hours should be reduced from today’s 40 to 35 hours per week.
The proposal, which was presented on Friday, means that working hours will be gradually shortened from the year 2030, by one hour less each year until 2035.
– We believe in a positive effect on the economy and not least on the health of wage earners, says Member of Parliament Annika Strandhäll (S).
The proposal faces strong criticism from the government, which believes that it would mean a loss of 250 billion in tax revenue.
– I think it is an extremely questionable experiment, which risks affecting people very widely through sharply increased taxes and poorer welfare, says Labor Market Minister Johan Pehrson (L).
The Social Democrats’ Annika Strandhäll cannot give an estimate of what the reform would cost if it became a reality, but she refers to other countries that have made similar reductions in working hours.
– It has been seen in the countries where it has been implemented that productivity has increased, the health of the wage earners has increased, says Annika Strandhäll.
The proposal will be taken up at the Congress of the Social Democrats next year. In the past, the Left Party and the Green Party have stood behind shortened working hours.
Facts: The reform proposal for a 35-hour working week
A state-funded research project is proposed in which 5,000 individuals will reduce their working hours while maintaining their salary for one year. After the study, a gradual reduction of the statutory standard working time by one hour per year is proposed, starting in 2030.
Work environment reform with proposals for the right to sanction fees regarding the psychosocial work environment.
Make it more expensive for employers to hire people with fixed-term employment.
Income indexing so that the levels of health insurance and social security are calculated annually by following the income base amount.
“Security pension 2.0” with changes in the pension reform from 2022. New age rule where after 40 years of working life you must be able to apply for a security pension. More generous assessment of work ability and separation of security pension from health insurance.
New vocational program against special shortages for the unemployed.
Improvement of the opportunities of the disabled in the labor market, including better designed wage subsidies with a raised ceiling.