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.

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.

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Senator Barbara Pocock. Picture: NewsWire/Martin Ollman.

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“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. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Andrew Henshaw.

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.”