Israeli workers to get one hour off a week from April

Israeli workers will work four hours less each month from April 1, without any reduction in pay, in the first economy-wide cut in hours since 1995.

Currently, Israelis work 43 hours a week, more than employees in most of the developed world. The new agreement will cut that to 42 hours per week, or 182 hours per month instead of the current 186.

Night shifts will also be limited, to no more than seven nights in total every two weeks.

Labor, Welfare and Social Services Minister Haim Katz signed an order to extend to all employees a deal signed a year ago by Histadrut labor federation boss Avi Nissenkorn and Shraga Brosh, president of the Manufacturers Association in Israel. The agreement was adopted two months ago by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon.

Katz wrote on Facebook Sunday that this was “a first step toward easing the burden of the Israeli worker,” adding, “We’re aiming for a more significant reduction.”

Even with the reduction, Israel’s workweek remains higher than the typical 40 hour workweek of many industrialized countries, and significantly longer than France’s 35-hour week or Denmark’s 37-hour week.

Nissenkorn posted on his Facebook page, “We have to leave more time for family and leisure….We’ll continue to push for more reductions in the workweek.”