Video recordings

Online Conference «Working time reduction and climate crisis»

What role for working time reduction when addressing climate change?

Jun 16th, 2021
European Network for the fair sharing of working time

About the conference:

The shorter working week has always been at the heart of the labour movement. The eight-hour movement extended beyond borders and ensured that today we enjoy things like the weekend and the eight-hour day.

After decades in the political wilderness, the shorter working week is fast becoming one of the major political issues across Europe: now it is not only about workers’ wellbeing, equality and the reduction of unemployment – now it could be about saving the planet, too! Research has demonstrated that shorter work hours are associated with reduced carbon emissions, however the relationship is complex.

At our 2020 conference, we discussed the potential contribution of working time reduction to the socio-ecological transition, its role in initiatives addressing climate change and its place in approaches to the European Green New Deal.

The public conference brings together key actors from campaigns on the reduction of working time, policy-makers, and climate initiatives from across Europe.

About the organiser:

The European Network for the fair sharing of working time was set up by ATTAC Germany (ArbeitFairTeilen Group) and the Collectif Roosevelt (France), and today includes numerous organizations such as trade unions, NGOs, citizens' movements and associations, scientists, policy makers and members of the European Parliament from 15 countries. The conference is supported by the Brussels Office of the Rosa-Luxemburg-Stiftung.

You will find the video recordings below:

Introduction & Roundtable #1: Recents examples of initiatives and experimentations in Europe
Roundtable #2: The place of the working time reduction in a post growth society
Roundtable #3: The place of working time reduction in the Green New Deal propositions
Roundtable #4: The French Example : Effects and consequences of the 35 hours 20 years after
Roundtable #5: Coalition of trades unions and NGOs in the fight against climate crisis
Experimentation #1 : Sophie Jänicke - IG Metall (Germany)
Experimentation #2 : Maxyme Nys - CGSP-FGTB (Belgium)
Experimentation #3 : Gudmundur Haraldsson - ALDA (Iceland)
Juliet Schor: Working time reduction in a post-growth society