NSW council proposes permanent four-day workweek for non-essential staff
Consensus Summary
Murrumbidgee Council in regional NSW is exploring a permanent four-day workweek for non-essential staff to cut costs and improve productivity without raising rates. The proposal, led by general manager John Scarce, would compress 38 or 35 weekly hours into four days (Monday to Thursday) for depot, office, and library staff, with estimated annual savings of around $1 million. Key drivers include reducing travel time for road crews—who average 160 kilometres daily—and addressing staff shortages by offering a competitive work arrangement. Essential services like water, sewerage, and emergency response would remain operational. Both sources agree on the council’s financial motivations and the trial’s positive health outcomes, but differ slightly on savings figures and union perspectives. The move reflects broader debates about productivity and work-life balance, with unions supporting shorter weeks while business groups caution against unproven benefits.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Murrumbidgee Council in south-west NSW is proposing a Monday-to-Thursday four-day workweek for depot, office, and library staff
- The council’s general manager is John Scarce, who estimates annual productivity savings of around $1 million from the compressed workweek
- Staff would maintain their standard 38 or 35-hour weekly hours but compressed into four days, with average daily travel for road crews at 160 kilometres
- Essential services like water, sewerage, animal control, and emergency response would remain operational on Fridays and weekends
- The council spans approximately 7000 square kilometres and currently collects general waste once every fortnight
- Per Capita’s 2023 trial of a four-day week found 92% of men and 60.7% of women reported positive health impacts, with 96% of employers reporting positive staff performance
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Murrumbidgee Council’s proposal includes offices in Darlington Point, Coleambally, and Jerilderie, as well as local libraries and depots
- The council cites a backlash from Launceston City Council’s abandoned four-day week plan in February 2024 as a cautionary example
- Wesa Chau (Per Capita) notes that 90% of trial participants stuck with the four-day week after the trial concluded
- Scarce mentions the proposal could help recruit staff by addressing calls from the community for weekly waste collection instead of fortnightly
- The council’s childcare centre, caravan park, and Scarce’s own role are explicitly excluded from the four-day model
- The council estimates annual productivity savings of about $1.1 million, with fuel and emissions reductions from reducing equipment mobilisation (up to 26 times annually for 160km round trips)
- The proposal is framed as a response to rising costs and expanding responsibilities without additional funding, avoiding a special rate variation
- Scarce states the model aims to deliver the same service level more efficiently and sustainably, with longer daily opening times for customer service
- The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) president Michele O’Neil supports shorter working weeks, calling them ‘good for both workers and employers’
- The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry warns that four-day week proposals may ‘put the cart before the horse’ without proven productivity gains
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC reports the council’s proposed savings are ‘in the magnitude of around $1 million,’ while NEWSCOMAU specifies ‘about $1.1 million’ annually
- ABC states the council’s waste collection is currently once every fortnight and the four-day week could enable weekly collection, but NEWSCOMAU does not mention this specific community demand
- ABC highlights that 92% of men and 60.7% of women reported positive health impacts in Per Capita’s trial, while NEWSCOMAU omits the gender-specific percentages
- NEWSCOMAU includes a direct quote from ACTU president Michele O’Neil supporting shorter weeks, but ABC does not reference union perspectives
- ABC notes the council’s proposal would not apply to Scarce’s role or the childcare centre, while NEWSCOMAU does not specify exclusions beyond essential services
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