On Tuesday, Lamborghini announced a deal with its labour unions to implement a four-day workweek for car production workers. According to Reuters, the unions called the agreement “historic.” It is the first agreement of its kind in the European auto industry, reducing working hours without reducing wages — instead, it includes a rise and a one-time bonus of $1,082 in the following month.
According to Road & Track, the new workweek will result in production workers working up to 31 fewer days per year. According to Reuters, Lamborghini isn’t the only company in Europe to have adopted the shortened workweek. Others, including the bank Intesa Sanpaolo and the eyewear company EssilorLuxottica, have also recently switched.
According to Reuters, companies in the United Kingdom implementing the change have reported increased work productivity, better job retention and recruitment rates, and fewer sick days.
According to The Street, other unions in the auto industry were unable to convince companies such as Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis to approve the shortened work hours. The auto industry has experienced historic developments this year.
According to previous Business Insider reporting, the United Auto Workers strike ended in late October, with the union reaching tentative agreements with all three Detroit automakers. The agreements included raises of up to 25%, cost-of-living adjustments, and more accessible paths to complete pay.
