WHEREAS:
The standard workweek was established by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938 after union activists fought for decades against unsafe working conditions and grueling hours. Labor leaders rallied around the promise of “eight hours for work, eight hours for rest and eight hours for what we will;” and
WHEREAS:
Today’s workers are significantly more productive than when the FLSA was enacted. This creates the opportunity, in some fields, to reduce working hours without impacting the quality or quantity of services provided; and
WHEREAS:
San Juan County, Washington — in partnership with AFSCME Local 1849 (Council 2) — adopted a 32-hour workweek in the fall of 2023 as an alternative to unaffordable wage increases, allowing the county to effectively raise hourly wages without exceeding its budget. Reports after six months, one year and two years showed the county saved almost $2 million, filled vacant positions 27% faster and received a 216% increase in job applications. Due to a decline in vacancies, the county experienced only a 13% decrease in the number of hours worked, and the 32-hour workweek has become the permanent standard for operations; and
WHEREAS:
San Juan County’s 32-hour workweek pilot also benefited members of Local 1849. Sick time dropped by 18%, and 83% of county employees agreed the shortened workweek has improved their work-life balance; and
WHEREAS:
These benefits have also been seen elsewhere: A 2023 study published by the advocacy group 4 Day Week Global found that a 32-hour, four-day workweek with no reduction in pay resulted in a wide range of benefits for both workers and employers. Across 200 companies, employees reported better mental and physical health, work satisfaction and retention and lower levels of stress and burnout. Business leaders were also more satisfied. At the end of the six-month pilot, companies gave the trial an average rating of 9 out of 10; and
WHEREAS:
In 2022, the AFL-CIO adopted a resolution advocating for fewer working hours, affirming that “shorter workweeks with no loss of pay creates more jobs and liberates individual workers to engage more fully in family, community and political life;” and
WHEREAS:
The movement toward a shorter workweek has gained traction nationwide. Twelve states have recently introduced bills either funding pilot programs or reducing the threshold of overtime pay from 40 to 32 hours with no reduction in wages. At the federal level, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) introduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act in 2024. No bills at the state or federal level have passed to date; and
WHEREAS:
Many AFSCME members are employed in positions that administer round-the-clock or emergency services, where adequate staffing levels are required to maintain a high-quality standard of service.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
AFSCME supports the implementation of a 32-hour, four-day workweek as an alternative to the traditional 40-hour workweek where local unions determine it to be in the best interest of their members, where membership demand exists and where workplace circumstances make such a transition feasible; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
AFSCME urges any transition to a 32-hour, four-day workweek include the protection of all worker benefits, including the amendment of applicable benefit formulas as necessary to ensure members suffer no reduction in health care coverage, retirement contributions or any other benefit tied to hours worked; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
AFSCME will work with community allies, labor partners and policy makers to advance legislation and bargaining strategies that support implementing a 32-hour, four-day workweek without the loss of pay, benefits or protections; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
AFSCME recognizes that a four-day workweek is not a one-size-fits-all solution but encourages local leadership to evaluate the potential opportunities and challenges of such a transition and establish ongoing reviews to ensure any implementation of a shortened workweek is to the benefit of members and the communities they serve.
SUBMITTED BY:
Michael Rainey, President and Delegate
Kathleen McConnell, Secretary-Treasurer and Delegate
AFSCME Council 2
Washington
Frederick Yungbluth, Jr., President and Delegate
Meredith Hickman, Secretary
AFSCME Council 75
Oregon