Sen. Bernie Sanders and Senate Democrats cited advances in artificial intelligence and automation Thursday as they argued for a new bill that would 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 said after gaveling open a hearing of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
“The sad reality is Americans now work more hours than the people of any other wealthy nation,” the Vermont independent later said.
The bill introduced by the committee chair Sanders and Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., would gradually reduce the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours over four years.
Employers would have to pay overtime compensation to non-exempt employees of 1.5 times the hourly rate for every hour worked past eight hours in a single day, and two times the hourly rate for every hour worked past 12 hours.
The bill also would guarantee that total weekly wages would not be cut as a result of the reduction in total hours worked.
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif. has introduced a similar bill in the House of Representatives.
The bills come months after business leaders such as JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates predicted that people could within decades work as little as three days a week due to innovations in AI, and automation.
Sanders and Democrats at Thursday’s hearing said that reducing the workweek would allow people to spend more time with family 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,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
Republicans slammed the plan, arguing that the mandate would destroy small businesses and would hurt industries such as retail stores, which need to be open six or more days per week.
“This would be…
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