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CWU members at the union's Bournemouth conference, May 13, 2026
DELEGATES packed a fringe at CWU conference today on the campaign for a shorter working week.
On the penultimate day of their Bournemouth gathering, members gathered to discuss how to build momentum behind the idea.
Phil Lindsey, of the Four Day Week campaign, argued that the scepticism and opposition to the idea in the right-wing press mirrored the long demolished arguments over five-day week a century ago.
Encouraging delegates, he added: “At the start of 2027, there’s two big names starting trials of a four-day week as a result of worker campaigns hard for but well won.”
Rallying that power, CWU T&FSE’s Mel Wilson said: “A shorter working week isn’t radical.
“What’s radical is expecting workers to absorb constant change, rising pressure and longer demands without giving them anything back.
“What’s radical is ignoring a better way when we know it exists.
“This campaign is about fairness. It’s about dignity. It’s about balance.
“It’s about taking back control of our time, and if we organise and build across every workplace. We can win this.”
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