© Reuters
Comment: Note how this is worded: they're using 'coronavirus' as the reason for the dire economic situation and the need for an 'overhaul' - even though the economy has been in a downward spiral since the last crash in 2008 - and yet the coronavirus itself had little effect on the economy, mainly effecting old people and the vulnerable, it was the unjustified and tyrannical lockdown that caused the damage and accelerated the destruction of the economy.
In a letter to Rishi Sunak, seen by The Independent, the signatories including former shadow chancellor John McDonnell and Green MP Caroline Lucas, argue reducing working hours provide greater opportunities amid growing levels of unemployment.
The calls come after Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand's prime minister, suggested employers could consider a four-day working week in response to the Covid-19 crisis, which she said would "certainly" boost the tourism industry.
Comment: There's worsening issues like soaring unemployment and millions are visiting food banks and yet New Zealand's PM thinks there's opportunities for tourism?
The concept of a four-day working week picked up momentum in the UK during the 2019 December election, as Labour floated a policy of a 32-hour working week with no loss of pay to be delivered within ten years.
Who said it?
But campaigners now believe with the country facing an economic crisis in the wake of the pandemic, "shorter working time presents itself as one of the best options for fundamentally restructuring the economy so that work is shared more equally".
In their letter to the Treasury, they said: "A four-day week would give many more opportunities to the growing list of unemployed people which already stands at 2.8 million people."
"Shorter working time has been used throughout history as a way of responding to economic crises. They were used as a way of reducing unemployment during the Great Depression of the 1930s, which led to the normalisation of the eight-hour day and the 40-hour week."
Comment: Which demonstrates how, in times of crises, significant social engineering is possible. And many of those in power are well aware of this.
The signatories, which also include trade unions, academics, and the former Labour Party chairman Ian Lavery, added: "A four-day week would bring multiple benefits to society, the environment, our democracy, and our economy (through increased productivity).
"One of the biggest impacts would be better mental health and wellbeing across the board with more time available for socialising, family and community."
"Three-quarters of UK workers already supported a four-day working week before the coronavirus pandemic hit and millions of workers have now had a taste of working remotely and on different hours. It's in no one's interests to return back to the pressure and stress that people were under before this pandemic."
The letter also cites the recent comments from the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, who last month said proposals such as a four-day working week "are no longer things that we should just be talking about".
"These are things we should be encouraging employers to look at embracing," she said. "And there are a whole range of things that fall into that category."
The letter to Mr Sunak concludes: "We're urging your government to show the same commitment towards a better future for the UK by setting up a similar commission - looking at the range of options and models related to shorter working time which the UK could deploy."
The signatories of the letter are listed here.
And don't forget automation, as they used to say in the 80's "computers will make your life easier and give you more leisure time" - what they didn't add to the statement was the minor detail that it's because computers will make many people redundant.