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Senator Bernie Sanders Proposes Four-Day Workweek Bill

By Nithya Bose in Business News, posted March 18, 2024

Two-time Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has proposed a bill to transition the US to a four-day workweek.

Sanders says this initiative, grounded in research and pilot projects that suggest a shorter workweek, could boost productivity and well-being.

It faces legislative hurdles due to the current political landscape, with a Republican-majority House and a narrowly divided Senate.

Sanders said: “Moving to a 32-hour workweek with no loss of pay is not a radical idea.

“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.

The financial gains from the major advancements in artificial intelligence, automation and new technology must benefit the working class, not just corporate chief executives 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 bill has garnered support from Democratic Senator Laphonza Butler of California and Representative Mark Takano, also from California.

Butler said: “The Thirty-Two-Hour Workweek Act would allow hard-working Americans to spend more time with their families while protecting their wages and making sure profits aren’t only going to a select few.”

"It is time for a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay”

Takano praised “transformative legislation that will be a win for both workers and workplaces.”

Sanders's office praised endorsements from various unions and advocacy groups.

It cited predictions of a reduced workweek from heavyweights like Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, and Jamie Dimon, JP Morgan Chase CEO.

Dr. Dale Whelehan of 4 Day Week Global expressed enthusiasm for the bill, seeing it as a step toward a work environment focused on sustainable performance and well-being.

During a Senate committee hearing led by Sanders, the conversation highlighted the unchanged nature of the Fair Labor Standards Act since 1940 and the need to adapt to the radical changes in the economy since then.

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However, opposition comes from figures like Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who warns against mandating shorter workweeks due to potential economic repercussions, including job offshoring.

Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers union, criticized: “The truth is, working-class people aren’t lazy. They’re fed up.

“They’re fed up with being left behind and stripped of dignity as wealth inequality in this nation, this world, spirals out of control.

“They’re fed up in America. In America, three families have as much wealth as the bottom 50% of citizens in this nation. That is criminal.”

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