nef (the new economics foundation)
21 hours for the21st century
Anna Coote
Head of social policynew economicsfoundation
October 2010
nef (the new economics foundation)
The vision
A gradual move towards
a much shorter working week,
aiming for
21 hours as the new standard
to achieve:
(1) social justice and well-being for all
(2) a sustainable environment
(3) a prosperous economy not dependenton infinite growth.
nef (the new economics foundation)
How we spend time (1)
Men and womenof ‘working age’spend an averageof 19.6 hours inpaid work perweek.
Men: 24.5 hrs
Women: 15.4 hrs
nef (the new economics foundation)
Average hours of people in paid work
•full-time workers: 37.0 hours
•part-time workers: 15.5 hours
1 in 5 works more than 45 hours a week
Men and women work differently
•Males workers: 86.3% more than 31 hours 27.0% more than 45 hours
•Female workers: 55.8% more than 31 hours 9.7% more than 45 hours
Shorter hours since the down-turn
•1 million ‘involuntary part-timers’ – up by 400,000 sinceSpring 2008. Most are men.
How we spend time (2)
nef (the new economics foundation)
Why do we still worksuch long hours?
To feed, clothe and house ourselves andour families
To get on in life and have ‘enough’
To earn a secure future
To be with others and make friends
To build identity and status
To afford what we desire
Because that’s what everyone else does...
nef (the new economics foundation)
No such thing as a new idea…
In the 21stcentury
a 15-hour weekwill suffice, aswe turn insteadto “how to usefreedom frompressingeconomic cares.”
John Maynard Keynes, 1930,
“Economic possibilities for our grandchildren”
nef (the new economics foundation)
Practical examples
UK, 1974: 3-day week
France, 2000-8:
35 hour week
Utah State, 2008-9:4-day week
UK, 2009-2010:recessionemergencymeasures
nef (the new economics foundation)
LIVING WITHINENVIRONMENTALLIMITS
ENSURING A STRONG,HEALTHY AND JUSTSOCIETY
ACHIEVING ASUSTAINABLEECONOMY
PROMOTINGGOODGOVERNANCE
USING SOUNDSCIENCERESPONSIBLY
A principled framework…
…sustainable development
nef (the new economics foundation)
Social reasons for movingto 21 hours (1)
More people in paid work
Less stress
More control over time
Better well-being forjobless and overworked
Redistribute paid andunpaid time
Fairer shares betweenmen and women
Good for parents andchildren
nef (the new economics foundation)
Social reasons for movingto 21 hours (2)
Making more of later life
More time to care
More ‘free time’
Time to ‘grow the coreeconomy’’ and co-producewell-being
Time to make sense ofthe ‘Big Society’
nef (the new economics foundation)
Environmental reasonsfor moving to 21 hours
Get off theconsumertreadmill
Work to live,not live towork
More time tolivesustainably
nef (the new economics foundation)
Economic reasons formoving to 21 hours
Helps to end credit-fuelled growth
Time a key variablein managing adecarbonisedeconomy
Shorter hours plusmore women make amore productiveworkforce.
A more resilient andadaptable economy
Safeguards publicresources
nef (the new economics foundation)
Challenges of transition
Impact on poverty – thepoorest could be hardest hit
Shorter hours could justmean more people do moreovertime
The ‘lump of labour fallacy’
Against the grain ofbusiness culture
Few incentives foremployers
Resistance from employees
Regulation versus
civil liberty
nef (the new economics foundation)
How to make it work?
Necessary conditions for a successfultransition, changing gradually over adecade or more…
•Achieving shorter working hours
•Ensuring a fair living income
•Improving gender relations and qualityof family life
•Changing norms and expectations
nef (the new economics foundation)
Achieving shorter hours
Negotiate small reductions inhours with annual payincrements
Organise working practices toaccommodate shorter hours
Active training to fill skills gaps
Employers costs per-hour notper-employee
Reduce pay gradient
Regulation with flexibility tosuit employees
More and better support forself-employed
nef (the new economics foundation)
A fair living income
Fairer distribution ofincome and wealth
A higher minimumwage
Improved statebenefits
Secure, high-qualityhealth, education andother essentialservices
More uncommodifiedactivity andconsumption
nef (the new economics foundation)
Better gender relationsand quality of life
Flexible workingarrangements
Decent childcare
More job-sharing
Limits on overtime
Flexible retirement
Enforce equal pay andopportunity laws
More jobs for men in caringand primary-level teaching
More self-help and mutualaid
nef (the new economics foundation)
Changing norms andexpectations
A national debate abouthow we use, value anddistribute work andtime…
…and how much ‘stuff’ isenough
Raise awareness about thevalue of unpaid work
More support for unpaidactivities
nef (the new economics foundation)
Changing the unchangeable…
nef (the new economics foundation)
THANK YOU!