Could America move to a four-day work week? Bernie Sanders launches push to cut weekly hours for millions while they take home the same pay

Senator Bernie Sanders believes it is long past time the United States moves away from a 40-hour workweek and establishes a 32-hour standard workweek without reducing workers' pay. 

The Vermont senator introduced legislation that would do just that. But his proposal is already being met with stiff opposition across the aisle.

The Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act would reduce the standard workweek in the United States from 40 at 32-hours over four years while maintaining worker pay. It would also require overtime pay and a half for workdays longer than 8 hours and overtime doubling pay for workdays longer than 12 hours. 

Sanders' proposal was released ahead of a hearing by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to consider a four-day workweek. 

According to Senator Sanders, the last time the Senate held a hearing to consider reducing the standard workweek was in 1955, back when Dwight D Eisenhower was president.

'Today nearly 70 years later despite an explosion as we all know in technology and a massive increase in worker productivity, nothing has changed,' Sanders said in his opening remarks. 'Think of the huge transitions we have seen in the economy, but in terms of the work week, nothing has changed.'

Senator Sanders at a Senate HELP Committee hearing for a 32-hour workweek after introducing the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act

Ranking member Bill Cassidy slammed a mandated 32-hour workweek without pay cuts claiming it would lead to businesses moving jobs overseas and increased inflation 

The 40-hour workweek was established back in 1940 after Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act. It has been the standard ever since. 

However, Sanders said American workers are more than 400 percent more productive than they were 80 years ago, and the United States has not kept up with other countries. 

'The sad reality is Americans now work more hours than the people of any other wealthy nation.'

The progressive senator noted that in 2022, Americans worked 204 more hours a year than workers in Japan, 279 more hours than workers in the U.K., and 470 hours more than workers in Germany.

'Despite these long hours, the average worker in America makes almost $50 a week less than he or she did 50 years ago after adjusting for inflation,' Sanders said. 

'The question that we are asking today is a pretty simple question, do we continue the trend that technology only benefits the people on top, or do we demand that these transformational changes benefit working people?'

But Republicans did not welcome Sanders' proposal with open arms. Ranking member Bill Cassidy of Louisiana blasted the proposal as 'free money.'

'In reality, there's no free lunch. Workers would be the ones that would pay, not get paid extra,' Cassidy said. 

Cassidy claimed forcing businesses to increase pay for less hours would 'destroy some employers' and force them to shop jobs overseas, automate to replace workers or increase prices amid already burdensome inflation.

He said if a business wants to implement a 32-hour workweek, it can go for it, but the government does not need to mandate it. 

'Government should not be in the business for undermining an employers ability to keep their doors open with unreasonable and perhaps unconstitutional mandates,' Cassidy said. 

He praised the U.S. being the wealthiest nation in the world, noting that it was achieved because of the U.S. work ethic.

'We won't maintain the status of being the world's wealthiest nation if we kneecap the economy with something that purports to be good for the American worker, but will indeed lead to offshoring of jobs seeking for a lower cost labor force,' he argued.

Sanders proposal for a 32-hour workweek is endorsed by multiple unions including the AFL-CIO, UAW and SEIU. UAW President Shawn Fain was among those who testified before the committee on Thursday. 

'More profit is being squeezed out of every hour, every minute and every second, Fain said. 'There was a time when this was supposed to lead to workers getting their time back, getting some of their lives back.' 

Fain slammed wealth inequality in the United States and said Americans are fed up. He blasted Wall Street saying they are the 'freeloaders' and 'masters of passive income' not blue collar working Americans.

UAW President Fain and Dr. Schor testified Thursday before the Senate HELP Committee

According to the ILO, U.S. workers work an average of 38 hours a week, more than most European countries, Canada, Australia and Japan but less than countries including China and India

Another witness at Thursday's hearing was Dr. Juliet Schor from Boston College who has been studying a pilot program for a four-day workweek with companies in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Ireland. 

The findings from early trials involve nearly 33 companies indicated high level of satisfaction on the part of both employers and employees with the four-day week with companies noting improved productivity and revenue growth.

But Dr. Liberty Vittert of Washington University blasted short-term pilot projects, saying long-term studies of the issue showed happiness goes back to the same level over time. 

'If you want to see those employees really stressed out, just see what happens when their employers lay them off to hire part time workers instead or have to close their doors because they cannot make enough revenue,' Vittert said. 

After the coronavirus hit, more companies reported moving to a four-day workweek and remote work.  

While the hours worked a week vary widely across the globe, data from the International Labor Organization found American workers on average work 38 hours a week, but more than 13 percent of U.S. workers worked 49 hours or more a week.

That's more than most European countries. The average hours worked a week in Germany was 34 and France at 35.9 with less than 10 percent working beyond 49 hours a week.  Meanwhile, Australia and Canada have average workweeks of 32-hours.

But the U.S. average worked a week is below that in China and India where workers have an average of 46 hours a week.