A FOUR-DAY working week would create 60,000 jobs and be “good value for money”, according to a think tank.
At the SNP conference last weekend a motion was passed by a massive majority in support of a four-day working week in an independent Scotland.
Party members have now called on Holyrood to start a review looking at bringing a four-day week to the country after independence.
The policy idea has become more mainstream in recent years, with New Zealand’s PM Jacinda Ardern recently speaking about how a four-day week could help her country’s economy recover after Covid-19.
READ MORE: SNP conference backs calls for a four-day working week
Will Stronge, the director of research at think tank Autonomy, said: “A four-day week in the Scottish public sector would be a high-impact, low cost policy that could pioneer better work-life balance for workers across Scotland.
“At a very small fraction of the overall public sector pay bill, the move to a four-day week represents good value for money when considered alongside all of the benefits to workers and their employers.”
Meanwhile Joe Ryle, a campaigner with the 4 Day Week Campaign, said: “Scotland is leading the way on a four-day week and this report shows very clearly that the policy is both desirable and affordable.
“The Scottish Government doesn’t have the power to implement a four-day week across the entire economy but they can and should implement it across Scotland’s public sector.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel