Extra bank holiday for World Cup a trial run for four-day week
As people across Scotland enjoy an extra bank holiday to celebrate the national team qualifying for the World Cup, they are also enjoying the benefits of a four-day week, say the Scottish Greens.
Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay was the first to call for an extra bank holiday after Scotland’s national men's side qualified for the World Cup for the first time in almost thirty years.
The party has had a long-standing campaign in place for industries across Scotland to adopt a four-day working week as standard, offering people a better work-life balance, flexibility and more control over their lives.
Gillian said:
“I’m sure thousands of us will have tuned in to cheer on Scotland this weekend and revel in the excitement of the World Cup kicking off, so it’s great that we were able to secure an extra bank holiday to reset before heading back to work tomorrow.
“Nobody should feel that their whole life has to revolve around work, but for too many of us that tends to be the case.
People stuck in this cycle can end up living for the rest they get on two days at the weekend, the odd bank holiday here and there. We need to give more people that chance to actually enjoy what they do for work without burning out, and let them exist outside of work too.
“Whether it's juggling family life, attending hospital appointments, working on a passion project, socialising with friends or simply getting a bit more time to sleep, a four-day week without loss of pay has been proven to benefit everyone.
“One extra day during the week makes workers feel valued. Trials are showing that this model increases productivity and job satisfaction, as well as reducing stress that usually leads to people needing time off.
“The four-day work week is also good for wider society as well. Our NHS and mental health services are under pressure, so having an extra day to yourself can hugely decrease work-related stress and exhaustion, which helps to ease that pressure.
“That’s why we want to work with trade unions and employers across Scotland to promote and normalise the benefits of a four-day working week, with no loss of pay.”