Welsh Labour leadership rivals urged to trial four-day week in Welsh government

The two contenders to succeed Mark Drakeford as Welsh Labour leader and First Minister of Wales have been urged to trial a public sector pilot of a four-day week, LabourList can reveal.

The Welsh Government currently has a four-day week working group researching the issue for a report due this year, as part of its workforce partnership council, a joint body between the authorities, trade unions and employers.

Now the 4 Day Week Campaign has written to Vaughan Gething and Jeremy Miles, currently involved in a leadership contest, urging them to pledge their support for a pilot. LabourList has approached both for comment.

They cite polling suggesting 57% of the public would back a pilot, and urge both candidates to not only sustain the working group, but also commit to “the introduction of a public sector pilot of a four–day working week, with no loss of pay, by the end of 2024.”

“A bold vision is needed and we believe a four–day week with no loss of pay should be a crucial part of that vision. It is a win–win solution for both employers and employees, and trials in both the private and public sector demonstrate this,” the campaign group writes.

Joe Ryle, director, said it would be following “Scotland’s lead”, with the Scottish government previously pledging a pilot.

It also comes after it was recently revealed supermarket chain Asda has been trialling working patterns “including a four-day working week for the same pay and benefits”.

A trial by 61 companies and dubbed the “world’s biggest” last year saw  most companies say they would keep it post-pilot.

But the UK government has sought to discourage four-day weeks in the public sector, issuing guidance last autumn saying it does not offer value for money. It also urged South Cambridgeshire council to end its trial.

Labour had vowed to reduce the average working week to 32 hours over a decade at the 2019 election under former leader Jeremy Corbyn. But the party formally ditched its 2019 manifesto in 2022.

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