Sanders: "If AI is coming for workers, it should bring a 4-day workweek with it"
4 hours ago
- Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Mark Takano reintroduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act to lower the standard workweek from 40 to 32 hours for nonexempt employees, with overtime pay for extra hours.
- The bill argues that AI-driven productivity gains should benefit workers through shorter hours, not just corporate profits.
- Historical context: The 40-hour week was established in 1938, and Sanders sees the bill as a continuation of the century-long labor struggle for shorter hours.
- Evidence from a six-country study shows that reducing work hours improves worker well-being without harming perceived performance.
- Opponents, like Senator Bill Cassidy, warn that added labor costs could raise prices and threaten businesses.