- Lamborghini is planning to implement a four-day workweek for its production workers.
- The new workweek is a historic industry win; other auto unions have failed to secure the same terms.
- Other companies that use the four-day workweek have reported high levels of productivity.
On Tuesday, Lamborghini announced a deal with its unions to implement a four-day workweek for car production workers.
The unions called the agreement “historical,” per Reuters. It is the first agreement of its kind in the European auto industry that reduces working hours without a wage cut — instead, it includes a raise and a one-time bonus of $1,082 in the next month.
Overall, the new workweek will mean production workers work up to 31 fewer days a year, according to Road & Track.
Lamborghini isn’t the only company in Europe to adopt the shortened workweek — others, like the bank Intesa Sanpaolo and eyewear company EssilorLuxottica, have also recently made the change, per Reuters.
Companies in Britain that have made the change have reported increased work productivity, better job retention and recruitment rates, and fewer sick days, according to Reuters.
Other unions in the auto industry could not get companies like Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis to approve the shortened work hours, per The Street.
“Work less and work better, this is the principle that guided this negotiation, and which is part of a comprehensive reasoning,” FIOM and FIM-CISL unions said in a statement, per Road & Track.
It’s been a year of historic developments for the auto industry.
In late October, the United Auto Workers strike ended strikes and made tentative agreements with all Big Three Detroit automakers, per previous Business Insider reporting. The deals included 25% raises, cost-of-living adjustments, and more accessible paths to full pay.
