Launceston City Council staff to vote on four-day, full-pay work week
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-23/council-seeks-to-usher-in-four-day-work-era-on-full-pay/106261380
Launceston City Council staff to vote on four-day, full-pay work week
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-01-23/council-seeks-to-usher-in-four-day-work-era-on-full-pay/106261380
10 Comments
From the article:
Launceston City Council and the Australian Services Union have reached in-principle agreement on a deal that would allow staff to work four days a week, and earn full-time salaries.
The council says it doesn’t want to miss the opportunity to attract and retain staff, but local industry has expressed serious concerns.
As someone who used to work a nine day fortnight for full time pay I can’t overstate how awesome it was to have every second weekend be a long weekend.
My boss and I alternated which Friday we had off, and the day that I was working and he wasn’t was also amazing and so helpful in terms of catching up on work, knowing that he wouldn’t be calling me to do things for him.
Nice, hope it spreads. I used to work a rotating shift that was over a 24-hour period. Worked longer hours each day for a 7-day fortnightly roster instead of 10 days a fortnight, Monday to Friday.
I’d happily go back to that. Extra days off for a few more hours a day are well worth it for work-life balance.
Imagine voting against this
Hopefully it doesn’t spread. It has serious implications for productivity and could potentially push inflation higher. The rates are already high enough.
“Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Michael Bailey labelled it “a 20 per cent reduction in hours for the same pay”.”
Business representative sees workers getting better pay and conditions, assumes sky is falling. Rushes to protect wealth of owners.
“If service slows down, projects are delayed, costs blow out, and investment is put at risk.”
The trials that have been carried out – by private enterprise, no less – have shown increased efficiency in trials of the four day week. This guy is either fearmongering or a liar. Or both.
Is this for everyone or just people who work for the City Council?
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Friday should be apart of the weekend.
So if it’s going to a vote because it is an agreement between council and the ASU, that must mean gaining this means something else is being given up? Seems weird that the council would just happily say work less and we’ll keep paying you the same. My cynical radar is buzzing.