Reducing working hours is on its way to becoming the Spanish government's summer homework.

Madrid"I think we're going to be in September." This is what a voice of social dialogue thinks about the processing of the reduction of the working day to 37.5 hours per week in the Congress of DeputiesLast week, the committee again extended the period for submitting amendments to the entire bill until June 11th. This isn't the first time the deadline has been extended, so this representative of the social partners believes that—at this rate—there won't be time for the bill to be voted on in a plenary session before the summer break. This would mean it would be pushed to September: normally, Congress is open in June, but not in July or August, although days can always be set aside at the last minute to close pending files.

The danger of processing delays is the major obstacle to the implementation of the reduction in working hours in 2025. Behind this extension of the amendment period is the ticking of negotiations between the political parties and the Spanish government, particularly the Ministry of Labor, the architect of the measure. The reduction of the working day has already made it to Congress without having the votes guaranteed, a scenario that remains in place for now.

From the outset, it hasn't helped that the law was passed after an agreement between Treball and the two majority unions, CCOO and UGT, but without the employers' organizations. In fact, the latter continue to pressure it to be derailed. The president of the Spanish employers' association CEOE, Antonio Garamendi, warned last Thursday that it was a "bad" measure for the economy, while the new president of Cepyme, Ángela de Miguel, assured that they will defend "tooth and nail" its failure. The Catalan employers' associations, Foment del Treball and Pimec, also don't approve of it due to the "negative" impact—they say—on small businesses and, specifically, on commerce. Pimec has just held a round of meetings with all the parties in Congress to convey those elements they don't like.

This No The employers' opposition is, among other things, what has led parties such as Junts, but also the PP (Díaz sees room to approve the reform with both parties), to reject the reduction in working hours. The regional government members have even registered a comprehensive amendment to overturn the current text. However, there is a window open for this amendment to be withdrawn, according to various sources close to the social dialogue consulted by ARA. Talks between the regional government members and the ministry are underway, according to Díaz's department, and confirmed by Junts sources in Congress.

The Minister of Labor has not hesitated to give a nod to these partners by putting the "problem of absenteeism" on the table, in the words of Díaz herself, to the text of the reduction of working hours to add "corrections" aimed at this issue, an idea that Junts does not dislike, given that it has repeatedly asked to "act to reduce absenteeism"

Balance with the rest of the forces

But the danger of seeking a favorable vote from Junts, or even the PP, to approve the reduction of working hours is to alienate left-wing partners, starting with Podemos. The purple party has always expressed its willingness to support the measure, but has already warned the Spanish government to stop "wrapping up the mess." "We are concerned about talk of absenteeism, because it means buying into the right-wing and business leaders' framework," said Ione Belarra, the party's spokesperson in Congress, a few days ago. However, Podemos sources assure ARA that the content of the reform is "not being negotiated" with them.

Added to all this are "the other fronts" the Spanish government has open, according to the same source from the social dialogue. At a time when the PSOE is locked in a head-to-head battle with the PP over the dirty war with the Civil Guard, and parties like Junts are awaiting the Constitutional Court's decision on the amnesty, "it doesn't seem like anyone is in too much of a hurry to jump in," the same source indicates. Two other sources consulted assume that if Junts makes a move, it will be in exchange for something more. "They won't just negotiate the reduction of working hours," they maintain.

"Theoretically, Junts is opposed, but we'll see what happens," adds a source close to the employers' associations. If ultimately no amendment to the entire bill is approved and, therefore, Congress allows the bill to be processed, the parties can present partial amendments, which would be negotiated beforehand with the Spanish government and would modify the current text. This is the only possible path if the executive wants to push through one of the flagship measures of the legislature, which, as currently drafted, is not liked by the majority of the lower house.