Greens’ outlandish plan for Aussie workers   
The Greens have unveiled plans to pave the way for a national four-day work week, announcing a suite of policies.


News.com.au
March 17, 2025

The Greens have begun a push to introduce a four-day work week for Australians, saying wages have not kept pace with productivity gains.

With an election announcement looming, the Greens unveiled a policy costing which would create a national test case through the Fair Work Commission and establish a National Institute for the Four Day Work Week.

The Greens have long called for a four-day work week while maintaining full pay for workers, citing burnout and work/life balance

“Ordinary Australians have been working hard for decades and not seeing a fair share of the results,” Greens senator Barbara Pocock said.

“A four-day week will share more fairly the products of their labour.


“Productivity gains over the past two decades have fed into higher profits while real wages have stagnated.   

“A shorter working week alleviates the burden of stress and burnout. International trials have repeatedly shown productivity increases and a healthier happier workforce result from shorter working hours.”

Under the Greens policy, workers would work 80 per cent of their hours at 100 per cent pay.

The party is proposing to create a national Test case through the Fair Work Commission.


As well, it wants to establish a National Institute for the Four Day Work Week - at a cost of $10m per year - and implement a four-day work week trial.

“The Greens will support a four-day work week test case through the Fair Work Commission aiming to reduce working hours with no loss of pay,” Senator Pocock said.

“Our society is changing, more women and carers are at work, yet we are constrained by archaic labour laws that see the fruits of our efforts swallowed up in profits for bosses and shareholders.   

“This is about justice for working people. We work to live, not live to work.”

The Greens want a four-day working week for Australian workers.

In 2023, a Senate committee, chaired by senator Pocock, backed a four-day work week trial in some locations and sectors.

The Greens cited large-scale trials in the UK, Germany, Spain and Canada.

“In the UK 92 per cent of employers participating have reported they will continue the four-day week after the trial ends,” Senator Pocock said.

“It’s time for Australia to move its workplaces into the 21st century and create a pathway for shorter hours.”

Well - with the un- and under-employment - it's already reality on average - then add in those who 'work from home' doing pharkall in reality - so it's hardly a devastating change of any kind...

If you wonder why a public servant you know online is at home far from the office all the time - you know why now.

"Have no fear," they said... "machines will give your more leisure time by taking over all the work! ... Don't be such a Luddite... it won't hurt you - it's for your best good!" ........ they didn't say your leisure time on the beach would be living there and sleeping rough, or being caged in a Tent City ghetto waiting to be rounded up by the local Council and driven off - relocated to the Outlands for 're-settlement' ....

Raus!  Raus!!  Untermenschen RAUS!!  Schnell ... macht schnell or ve send in zer dogs!!  This 'Homeless v the bureaucrats' is so very like Gladys clearing out zer ghetto in The Rocks of all those people living there for years in public housing with a fine view etc... may she rot in hell... and all like her alongside her.... the attitude and mentality is no different from this:-

Greens launch 4 day work week election policy   
2025-03-17
greens.org.au
The Greens have announced their policy to pave the way for a 4-day work week through nationwide trials across a range of industries coordinated by a new National Institute for the Four Day Work Week.

The policy backs in a commitment by the Greens to work towards shorter working hours with no loss of pay that will help improve our workplaces and support healthier lives.

Lines attributable to Senator Barbara Pocock:

“Ordinary Australians have been working hard for decades and not seeing a fair share of the results. A 4-day week will share more fairly the products of their labour.

“Productivity gains over the past two decades have fed into higher profits while real wages have stagnated. A shorter working week alleviates the burden of stress and burn-out. International trials have repeatedly shown productivity increases and a healthier happier workforce result from shorter working hours.

“The Greens policy will initiate a series of national trials in different industries where workers work 80% of their normal hours while maintaining 100% of pay. It’s a win-win for everybody.

“We led the world in the movement to shorter working hours going back to the stonemasons strike in Melbourne in 1856 when they won the 8-hour day. Now, in the 21st century we lag behind many other countries where 4-day week trials are underway.

“The UK, Canada, Germany and Spain are leading the way with large scale trials involving thousands of workers. In the UK 92% of employers participating have reported they will continue the 4 day week after the trial ends. It’s time for Australia to move its workplaces into the 21st century and create a pathway for shorter hours.

“The Greens will support a 4 day work week test case through the Fair Work Commission aiming to reduce working hours with no loss of pay.

“Our society is changing, more women and carers are at work, yet we are constrained by archaic labour laws that see the fruits of our efforts swallowed up in profits for bosses and shareholders. This is about justice for working people. We work to live not live to work.

“It's more than 40 years since the last reduction in working hours in 1981. The benefits in mental and physical health from shorter hours are well documented and the impact on women’s workforce participation will be significant as shorter hours assist those with caring responsibility. If men work less hours they are more likely to pick up their kids from school and pick up the vacuum cleaner at home.

“This is a policy that’s good for everyone. It can increase productivity, reduce absenteeism, improve recruitment and retention and give employees more time to manage their home life. This change will allow workers to create a working week that works for them.”

The Greens solution to under-employment is to redefine full employment.

Seriously, just about anyone these days can negotiate what hours they work. The last thing we need is the government deciding for us.

Quote:




Are they going to start printing money to cover that?

Wow - vote Greens and
you'll only have to work 4 days per week for the same pay.

It's a long weekend every week.

Where do I vote?

Like all the Green policies wonderful but meaningless. They know that they won't be in power and will never have to implement any policy they announce.

Dnarever wrote on Mar 17^th, 2025 at 9:19pm:



But if they get the balance of power they can force Labor to do it.

whiteknight wrote on Mar 18^th, 2025 at 7:00am:



I doubt that will happen,

the bosses would have you working a 7 day week if they could
and pay you for a 4 or 5 day week.

Gina wanted to pay Aussies $2 per day - remember that?