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Labour Party conference: McDonnell promises four-day working week Labour Party conference: McDonnell promises four-day working week
(32 minutes later)
The average working week in the UK would be cut to 32 hours within 10 years under a Labour government, John McDonnell has announced.The average working week in the UK would be cut to 32 hours within 10 years under a Labour government, John McDonnell has announced.
The shadow chancellor also promised to eliminate in-work poverty in the first term of a Labour government. This would effectively reduce the average working week to four days - something the shadow chancellor claimed could be achieved with no loss of pay.
And he vowed end the UK's opt out from the EU working time directive, which caps the number of hours people can work in an average week. The UK works longer hours than any other European country bar Greece.
Mr McDonnell also promised to eliminate in-work poverty in the first term of a Labour government.
He made the announcements at Labour's annual conference in Brighton.He made the announcements at Labour's annual conference in Brighton.
"The next Labour government will reduce the average full time working week to 32 hours within a decade," Mr McDonnell told party activists."The next Labour government will reduce the average full time working week to 32 hours within a decade," Mr McDonnell told party activists.
"A shorter working week with no loss of pay.""A shorter working week with no loss of pay."
Labour pledged to introduce four new public holidays in their 2017 general election manifesto but did not mention working hours.Labour pledged to introduce four new public holidays in their 2017 general election manifesto but did not mention working hours.
A report by cross-bench peer Lord Skidelsky - commissioned by Labour and published earlier this month - recommended that people should work fewer hours to earn a living. A report by cross-bench peer Lord Skidelsky - commissioned by Labour and published earlier this month - recommended that people should work fewer hours to earn a living.
But the report said imposing a four-day week would not be "realistic or even desirable".But the report said imposing a four-day week would not be "realistic or even desirable".
'Legally binding'
The average UK full-time employee clocks up 42.5 hours a week versus an EU average of 41.2 hours.
Mr McDonnell said negotiations over working hours would be carried out as part of plans to roll out collective bargaining across different industries.Mr McDonnell said negotiations over working hours would be carried out as part of plans to roll out collective bargaining across different industries.
"We'll require working hours to be included in the legally binding sectoral agreements between employers and trade unions," he said. Collective bargaining is where wage rates and conditions are agreed between employees and trade unions, a practice that used to be commonplace in British industry.
"We'll require working hours to be included in the legally binding sectoral agreements between employers and trade unions," said Mr McDonnell.
"This will allow unions and employers to decide together how best to reduce hours for their sector."This will allow unions and employers to decide together how best to reduce hours for their sector.
"And we'll set up a Working Time Commission with the power to recommend to government on increasing statutory leave entitlements as quickly as possible without increasing unemployment.""And we'll set up a Working Time Commission with the power to recommend to government on increasing statutory leave entitlements as quickly as possible without increasing unemployment."
'Modern evil'
The shadow chancellor also vowed end the UK's opt out from the EU working time directive, which caps at 48 the number of hours people can work in an average week.
And he pledged to end "modern evil" of in-work poverty within Labour's first term in office.
The policy announcements were welcomed by TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady.
"It's time for working people to share in the benefits of new technology.
"That's why unions have been arguing for less time at work, more time with family and friends and decent pay for everyone."
Lord Skidelsky's report said France's introduction of a 35-hour work week in 1998 showed why any move to impose a shorter working week across all industries would be ineffective.
"Any cap needs to be adapted to the needs of different sectors," it said.
"The evidence is that, after a brief impact effect, France's legislation was rendered broadly ineffective by an accumulation of exceptions and loopholes."