U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced legislation to establish a 32-hour workweek in the U.S. without any reduction in pay.
As the chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Sanders asserts that this change is essential to ensure that U.S. workers benefit from the significant productivity gains and technological advancements of recent decades.
According to a report published by Common Dreams, the proposed bill, co-sponsored by Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) and with companion legislation in the House led by Representative Mark Takano (D-Calif.), outlines a gradual reduction in the standard workweek from 40 to 32 hours over the course of four years. It also mandates overtime pay at time and a half for workdays exceeding eight hours and double pay for workdays surpassing 12 hours.
“Today, American workers are over 400% more productive than they were in the 1940s. And yet, millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages than they were decades ago. That has got to change,” Sanders stated in a press release. “The financial gains from the major advancements in artificial intelligence, automation, and new technology must benefit the working class, not just corporate CEOs and wealthy stockholders on Wall Street. It is time to reduce the stress level in our country and allow Americans to enjoy a better quality of life. It is time for a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay.”
The legislation has already garnered support from major labor unions, including the United Auto Workers (UAW), the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), and 4 Day Week Global — the latter of which is an organization that has previously conducted four-day workweek pilot programs in various countries. Results from previous research suggests that shorter work hours can lead to reduced stress levels, improved physical and mental health, and increased work-life balance among employees.
As the four-day workweek movement gains momentum among labor leaders and lawmakers, the 32-hour workweek bill represents a significant step towards adapting labor laws to modern work-life balance standards. It also represents a serious acknowledgement among U.S. labor leaders and lawmakers of a workforce trend that may one day be more widely adopted across the workforce.
