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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.
This would effectively reduce the average working week to four days - something the shadow chancellor claimed could be achieved with no loss of pay. This would effectively reduce the average working week to four days - something the shadow chancellor claimed could be done with "no loss of pay".
The UK works longer hours than any other European country bar Greece.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.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. "We should work to live, not live to work. As society got richer, we could spend fewer hours at work," he told delegates.
"A shorter working week with no loss of pay." "But in recent decades progress has stalled and since the 1980s the link between increasing productivity and expanding free time has been broken. It's time to put that right."
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. In a wide-ranging speech, Mr McDonnell also vowed to:
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.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.
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.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."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' In his speech, Mr McDonnell also defended the Labour leadership's Brexit stance, which would see Jeremy Corbyn promise to negotiate a new deal with Brussels and then put it to a referendum, with the party to decide whether it backs Remain or Leave at a special one-day conference nearer the time.
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. He said cancelling Brexit, by revoking Article 50, would send out the wrong message.
And he pledged to end "modern evil" of in-work poverty within Labour's first term in office. "We can't say to people 'Labour wants you to share in the running of your workplace, your community and your environment, but we don't trust you to have the final say over Brexit.'"
The policy announcements were welcomed by TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady. 'Brief impact'
"It's time for working people to share in the benefits of new technology. The shadow chancellor's proposals for a shorter working week were welcomed by the trade unions.
"That's why unions have been arguing for less time at work, more time with family and friends and decent pay for everyone." TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "It's time for working people to share in the benefits of new technology."
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. But CBI director general Carolyn Fairbairn, who represents business, said: "Who would turn down a four day week on the same pay? But without productivity gains it would push many businesses into loss."
"Any cap needs to be adapted to the needs of different sectors," it said. 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.
"The evidence is that, after a brief impact effect, France's legislation was rendered broadly ineffective by an accumulation of exceptions and loopholes." But the report said capping workers' hours to a four-day week would not be "realistic or even desirable", citing France's introduction of a 35-hour working week in 1998.
"The evidence is that, after a brief impact effect, France's legislation was rendered broadly ineffective by an accumulation of exceptions and loopholes," it said.