I won't speak for other countries, but in The US leisure and general livability are commodities now, not a part of life. The talk about shorter work weeks feel to me like they're rooted in growing fears that these commodities are pricing out many in the "professionals class." This isn't meant with snark, but it's an uncomfortable conversation for everyone. As we stand today there are plenty of people, fully employed, who don't even have a savings let alone time for leisure. I don't think we working professionals will ever see anything meaningful change in working time until we can have the larger conversation about why we work, why we value it, and who should benefit from it.
I’d offer a (friendly) counter point. Trusting in the benevolence of a union is very similar to trusting in the benevolence of your employer to watch your back. Both employers and unions ultimately devolve into parochialism. Both ultimately are interested in preserving their existing power structures and NOT in helping the worker. I’d say that the best way to “try and get it” is to make your skills valuable enough where you have more work offered than you you have time for in the day. At that point, raise prices!
Religion brought us the weekend, and ordinary politics ("vote for me because...") brought us labor rights. Unions brought us dues and a bunch of people standing around waiting for an electrician to plug in a power cord.
I think collectivism in the context of labor is definitely something people should have access to if they want it. This is why national sovereignty is a wonderful thing. That being said, many regulations and rules around labor can hinder hiring and increase barriers to entry for new businesses. Both approaches have their merits. I personally prefer to have greater economic and business freedom, but that may not the preference of everyone.
It’s just another signal about how far the laws and norms have been bent towards business against individuals. Companies are able to pay people with gift cards - that charge fees per transaction and age of balance.
