Sen. Bernie Sanders and Senate Democrats cited advances in artificial intelligence and automation Thursday as they argued for a brand new invoice that might mandate a 32-hour federal workweek.
“Despite massive growth in technology and worker productivity, millions of workers in our country are working longer hours for low wages,” Sanders stated after gaveling open a listening to of the Senate Committee on Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions.
“The sad reality is Americans now work more hours than the people of any other wealthy nation,” the Vermont impartial later stated.
The bill launched by the committee chair Sanders and Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., would progressively scale back the usual workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours over 4 years.
Employers must pay overtime compensation to non-exempt staff of 1.5 occasions the hourly charge for each hour labored previous eight hours in a single day, and two occasions the hourly charge for each hour labored previous 12 hours.
The invoice additionally would assure that whole weekly wages wouldn’t be lower on account of the discount in whole hours labored.
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif. has launched the same invoice within the Home of Representatives.
The payments come months after enterprise leaders corresponding to JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates predicted that folks may inside a long time work as little as three days per week as a result of improvements in AI, and automation.
Sanders and Democrats at Thursday’s listening to stated that lowering the workweek would permit folks to spend extra time with household and on hobbies.
“A lot of people find value in work and I’m glad that they do, but a lot of people find more value by the institutions and the social clubs and the churches that they affiliate and spend time with outside of work,” stated Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
Republicans slammed the plan, arguing that the mandate would destroy small companies and would harm industries corresponding to retail shops, which should be open six or extra days per week.
“This would be napalm upon the fire of inflation,” stated Sen. Invoice Cassidy of Louisiana, and the rating Republican on the Well being, Schooling, Labor and Pensions Committee.
One other Republican on the panel, Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana, stated, “I do disagree trying to do anything from this place that would impose upon the hundreds of businesses out there to where I just don’t think they could survive.”
In testimony to the committee, Boston Faculty sociology professor Juliet Schor stated her analysis reveals that hourly productiveness of each employees and administration would rise on account of a four-day, 32-hour work week. Schor stated her analysis additionally discovered that staff skilled will increase in well-being exterior of the workplace.
Jon Leland, chief technique officer on the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter, testified that his firm noticed its purpose achievement charge and worker retention soar after instituting a four-day workweek.
“People want to work but they want to work in a way that is balanced with the rest of their lives,” Leland instructed the panel.
However one other witness, Liberty Vittert, disputed research which have discovered higher productivity with a shorter workweek. Vitter stated these productiveness positive aspects disappear over time.
And, “We don’t know yet what abilities AI is going to give us,” stated Vittert, who’s a professor of the observe of information science at Washington College in St. Louis.
Cassidy urged holding a listening to on AI’s affect on the economic system.
However he additionally stated that it’s unlikely that advances in that know-how would permit most employees to cut back their hours.
“A mom-and-pop restaurant is not really seeing increased productivity from AI,” Cassidy stated.
“They’re having trouble finding enough people to fill shifts.”
