Government Set to Approve Reduced Workweek in Upcoming Council Meeting

The Minister of Economy has announced that the government's plan to reduce the workweek to 37.5 hours is expected to be approved at the upcoming Council of Ministers meeting scheduled for Tuesday, February 4.

During a press conference, the Minister expressed optimism that the proposal would advance in the Government's Economic Affairs Committee (CDGAE) later today, which is a crucial step before it is forwarded to the Committee of Undersecretaries and ultimately to the Council of Ministers.

He emphasized the importance of bringing this discussion to the CDGAE, where ministers with economic portfolios are present to ensure a comprehensive examination. The committee will consider whether to process the proposal through ordinary or urgent procedures. The Minister also highlighted the necessity of securing parliamentary support to facilitate the approval of this legislation.

In response to a complaint by the CEOE regarding the constitutionality of the workweek reduction, the Minister reiterated the need to support businesses during this transition to ensure the initiative's success.

The government aims to strike a balance between advancing workers' rights and ensuring that the new regulation does not adversely affect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

These comments suggest that internal disagreements within the government regarding the workweek reduction have eased. Earlier this month, the Minister of Labor and the Minister of Economy reached a consensus on the matter during a meeting.

The Labor Ministry has maintained two critical demands: the urgency of the legislative process in the Council of Ministers and adherence to the agreement reached with labor unions. The Minister of Labor has stressed that the urgent process is necessary to ensure the law is enacted by 2025, as stipulated in the coalition agreement between the PSOE and Sumar parties. If processed ordinarily, the approval could be delayed beyond the intended timeline.