Proposal for 35-Hour Work Week for Civil Servants Rejected in Madrid Assembly
The initiative by Más Madrid, aiming to align regional public employees with the General State Administration, did not move forward.
By Patricia Gómez Navarro
••2 min read
IA
Generic image of a microphone on a podium in an assembly hall, symbolizing a political debate.
The Madrid Assembly has dismissed a proposal to reduce the work week for regional civil servants to 35 hours, a measure already implemented in the General State Administration.
The initiative, put forth by the Más Madrid group, was rejected with votes against from the Popular Party. This decision aligns with the previously stated position of the regional minister of Economy, Finance, and Employment for the Community of Madrid, who had expressed skepticism about the feasibility of applying this model to the autonomous structure.
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"Reducing the work week for civil servants in the General State Administration to 35 hours has resulted in the loss of 17,000 full-time positions."
During the debate, a deputy from Más Madrid defended the proposal, arguing that society progresses when workers' rights, quality of life, and well-being are enhanced. She emphasized that success does not always come from increased pressure or control, but from workplace dignity.
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"The right turns work into pressure. The left understands that work must be compatible with living. The left always suspects the worker. The left trusts people in their capacity when treated with dignity."
From the Socialist Party, a deputy also expressed support for the measure, highlighting that the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Public Function has already implemented this reduction in the General State Administration. He noted that this decision was the result of complex negotiations, aiming to maintain the quality of public services and labor rights.
In contrast, a deputy from the Popular Party criticized the left's persistence with this proposal, especially after its implementation in the AGE, calling it a strategy to join what she termed the “Government's trap.” She lamented the absence of an official study on the economic impact of the measure, pointing out that its cost could be high. Furthermore, she stressed the demographic context, with a significant portion of public employees nearing retirement.
Finally, a Vox deputy argued that the Community of Madrid's problem is not a lack of resources, but a lack of courage and political decision. She contended that the rights of public workers should take precedence over other expenses, referring to immigration.