Spain's daily routine, at least in the cities, includes a long break in the middle, long enough for lunch and a refreshing nap—but that routine may be on the way out, if government officials get their way.
Working hours in Spain now run from 9 am to 7 pm or later to accommodate the break, which also makes dinner a late affair, leaving over a quarter of Spaniards still up after midnight. Critics also say it leaves little time for families to be together, makes doing business with other countries difficult and is no longer necessary.
It also makes it difficult for tourists to plan their days, with many stores and attractions closed for several hours in the afternoon.
Labor Minister Fátima Báñez has called for a "national pact" with unions and businesses, backed up by a law ending the normal workday by 6 p.m. Many businesses with international connections have already shifted to that.
And, it turns out, the current schedule is not even that old. Before the 1930s, it turns out, lunch was most often at 1 and dinner at 7:30, but during the hard economic times following the Civil War, it was adjusted so that many jobs ended at 3, leaving time for another job. The shift was also affected by Franco's decision to move Spain to Central European time, matching Germany (and countries as far east as Poland), rather than Portugal and Britain.
It's not clear whether there will be agreement on Báñez's plan. For more background and interesting information from TheLocal.es, click HERE
Photo: Hector Garcia/Wikimedia
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