Labour councillor calls for 4-day week for city council staff

At Monday’s monthly City Council meeting, Labour councillor Kevin Donoghue will call on the Dublin City Council Executive to pilot a four-day week for Dublin City Council staff.

Donoghue says that a four day week will mean a happier and more productive staff.

“Studies have repeatedly shown that a four-day week leads to happier, healthier staff who are more productive in the workplace.”

“The world of work has been turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic and the conventions we previously subscribed to can be thrown out the window; now is the time to be creative about the working environment we operate in” says Donoghue.

At May’s meeting of Dublin City Council, his motion will call on the DCC Chief Executive, Owen Keegan, to engage with relevant trade unions on a four-day week pilot programme for Council staff.

Donoghue saus that the four-day week is a realistic prospect across the country: “100 years ago, the five-day week seemed unrealistic.

“The pandemic has opened our eyes to the amount of change we are capable of, both in our personal and professional lives.”

“There is an acceptance that we will not be going back to how things were.

“Remote working, flexible arrangements in the workplace and working from home will become the norm.

“People now talk about doing things that would have been unimaginable just over a year ago,” he said.

His motion is due before Dublin City on Monday night and he is hopeful it will be supported by council colleagues.

“I look forward to the debate on this issue and trust that colleagues across the chamber will keep an open mind about the many benefits this will have for council staff, their well-being and their productivity.”

“The time has come for the four-day week to be introduced in Ireland and I would like to see Dublin City Council leading the way and taking this progressive step.”

Donoghue says that a pilot programme would give the council and trade unions the flexibility to engage with the challenges and concerns of a four-day week.