Speech by the President of the Government - Communication

Presidência do Governo Regional

Full text of the speech delivered today by the President of the Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, in Ponta Delgada, at the opening session of the 6th Labour Law Days:

It is with great honour that I preside over the opening of the 6th Labour Law Conference – Azores. This forum has promoted reflection and debate on issues central to the dignity of work in the Region since 2015.

I wish everyone a fruitful stay in the Azores, filled with reflection and appreciation for our peacefulness and the beauty of our nature.

Allow me to extend a special greeting and thanks to His Excellency, the President of the Constitutional Court, Professor José João Abrantes, and to the Judge of the Supreme Administrative Court, Judge Ana Celeste Carvalho. Your participation greatly honours this event and enriches the debate, bringing the vision and experience of the highest authorities of Portuguese justice to the reflection on the future of labour law in general and in the Azores, in particular. Furthermore, I am pleased to add, for the record, that I personally hold you in high regard.

To the distinguished speakers, moderators and members of the Scientific Committee, I would also like to extend a special greeting and express my gratitude for your willingness to accept our invitation to share your enriching experiences and valuable knowledge with us.

The theme chosen for this edition, "New models of working time organisation: The four-day work week - Implications," is undoubtedly a very timely and relevant topic. It is innovative in terms of both social and labour matters.

We are living in a time of profound demographic, technological and organisational change, which challenges old understandings of productivity, talent attraction and service quality in both the public and private sectors. The debate on the reorganisation of working hours is acquiring a new intensity.

Digital transformation, globalisation, labour mobility and the need to reconcile economic results with the well-being of workers place us before the responsibility of finding legally secure and operationally viable solutions.

Solutions promoting inclusive growth, full employment and fair work are aligned with the United Nations' 8th Sustainable Development Goal.

Current trends show us the spread of models for reducing working hours, such as the four-day work week, hybrid arrangements and management by goals.

These changes require a redesign of processes, the adoption of new planning tools, and the definition of clear performance metrics, replacing the mere counting of hours with performance indicators.

However, any organisational change must comply with the legal framework, safeguarding the safety, health, and rights of workers.

The sustainability of organisations and companies—a change in mindset.

Flexibility must be supported by contractual clarification, risk assessment and mechanisms to prevent abuse, ensuring equal treatment and predictability in the management of working time.

Confidence in change, with adaptive capacity.

In this context, the Regional Government's actions are guided by five fundamental principles:

- Priority given to citizen service;

- Gradual, evidence-based experimentation before rolling out any solution;

- Social dialogue and collective bargaining as the preferred method;

- Sectoral and territorial adequacy of solutions;

- Transparency, through public indicators and external assessment.

Within the Regional Public Administration, a commitment has been made to move forward with a four-day work week pilot project, based on an agreement between employees and employers.

The aim is to improve the balance between professional, personal and family life, boost productivity and well-being, and contribute to the competitiveness of our services, always in strict compliance with applicable legislation.

In implementing international best practices, the four-day work week pilot project was presented and discussed with trade unions and senior managers in the Regional Public Administration.

The sample of services and workers who will participate in the pilot project will be selected in November.

The pilot project will then begin on January 1, 2026, for a period of six months.

In the private sector, our approach is cautious, but we encourage voluntary, measured and reversible pilot projects, aligned with the Labour Code and collective bargaining agreements.

Public support will be technical, focused on process diagnosis, management training and independent assessment, without resorting to direct wage subsidies.

These conferences will allow us to learn about the results of the 2023 national pilot project and plan the pilot project for labour flexibility in Regional Public Administration, with the sharing of experiences from national and international experts.

Therefore, we intend to consolidate recent evidence, identify advantages and challenges, and outline technical criteria for the continuity of public service and for the independent assessment of future projects.

Finally, I would like to emphasise the key role of social dialogue.

Only through negotiation between social partners can we find balanced solutions that will ensure predictability, protection of rights, sustainability and competitiveness of companies, and stability in labour relations.

Allow me, on this occasion, to offer a word of confidence and commitment.

I firmly believe that the future of work in the Azores will be built on dialogue, innovation, and the courage to seek new solutions.

We are not afraid to assert ourselves as a laboratory for the future in the fields of social and economic innovation.

We are committed to a fairer, more productive and more humane region, where economic progress is achieved with dignity for workers and their families.

You can count on the Regional Government to lead this path of modernisation and recognition of work with responsibility and openness.

I wish everyone excellent Days and hope they will be another firm step towards building a fairer and more innovative labour market tailored to the challenges of our time."