The 40-hour workweek – five days at eight hours – has historically been the standard in the country. The standard working week of 41.1 hours rates among the longest in Europe. Trade unions have been pushing for a shorter working week by two and a half hours while maintaining the same level of income, in the campaign ‘End of the Long Work Week’. A recent survey shows that workers are even dreaming of much more – a five-hour work day and unlimited holidays. The survey revealed that 45% of the respondents would welcome a five-hour work day, saying it would significantly reduce their stress and boost their well-being.
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For more information, please contact the editor Jan Cremers or Sanne van der Gaag, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) cbn-aias@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Willy De Backer wdebacker@etui.org © ETUI