Union will keep working time on bargaining agenda

The Fórsa public services union is committed to negotiate a reduction in working time across the public sector to return workers to the hours they worked before austerity measures were implemented. This will be a priority for the negotiations for the next agreement. The current agreement, negotiated last year and running until 2020, does include provisions for workers to opt for shorter hours but only with commensurate cuts in pay. There is also scope to convert leave into flexitime. However, at the time the government refused to budge on restoration of pre-crisis working time.