The Employers’ Union of Montenegro (UPCG) has stated that the idea of a seven-hour workday should be promoted as an option, not enforced as a legal obligation. Prime Minister Milojko Spajić previously said that the government is close to finding a model that satisfies both trade unions and employers regarding the potential implementation of a shorter workday.
UPCG warns that Montenegro is already facing a chronic labor shortage, low productivity, and structural issues that hinder economic growth. In this context, they argue that introducing a seven-hour workday without parallel efforts to increase efficiency and modernize business processes could backfire leading to reduced economic activity, financial strain on employers, and pressure on public finances.
While acknowledging the need for improved working conditions and greater flexibility, the UPCG emphasizes the importance of realistically assessing the country’s economic capacity. They also point out that Montenegro’s labour laws often provide more generous conditions than those in more developed economies for example, paid daily breaks are not always guaranteed in many EU countries.
Rather than imposing administrative measures to shorten the workday, the UPCG proposes focusing on long-delayed reforms, such as increasing productivity, optimizing public administration, improving education and lifelong learning, and tackling the gray economy and abuse of sick leave.
They stress that working less than 40 hours per week is already a growing trend in Montenegro, often based on mutual agreements between employees and employers when feasible. Remote work arrangements are also becoming more common.
The concept of a seven-hour workday certainly aligns with modern views on work-life balance. Still, its success hinges on a broader economic transformation. Without boosting productivity and modernizing workflows, such a shift might create more problems than it solves. The key question is not just how long we work, but how efficiently we do so.
Written by our correspondent A.A.
