DEBATTERNA OM VÅR TID En kvalitativ inramningsanalys av tre tidsmässigt olika debatter om allmän arbetstidsförkortning

Abstract

The last time there was a general reduction in working hours in Sweden was 1973, when 40 hours per week was made the standard. This is over 50 years ago, which is a long time when compared to the fact that reductions in working hours happened more frequently from the start of the 20th century up to 1973 in Sweden. During these 50 years multiple other countries have had reductions in the general working hours and shortened the work week below 40 hours. This study examines why there have not been a general reduction in working hours in Sweden by analyzing how the parliamentary political parties debate the question of a reduction in working hours. This analysis is done with a qualitative framing analysis built upon the framing theory. Four different framing categories are used to examine the debates, workers’ health, economic aspects, environmental aspects and societal aspects. The study is performed by examining one successful debate, a debate leading to a reduction in working hours, and two failed debates, debates not leading to a reduction in working hours. The results show that a dominant frame that describes a reduction in working hours as costly and damaging for the economy affects whether a debate is successful or not. The results also show that in times of positive economic development this frame is much weaker and not dominant in the debate.