Unprecedented change: 40 hour work week for Israel's public sector 

Starting September 1, Israel's public sector employees will see their work week reduced to 40 hours, down from 42. This change, part of a broader agreement negotiated by the Histadrut labor federation, marks a significant shift in the country's work culture.

The reduction means full-time employees will work eight fewer hours per month, without any cut to their salaries. This effectively increases the value of each working hour.

Arnon Bar-David, Histadrut Chairman, hailed the move as a "real breakthrough," noting that Israeli workers typically log more hours than their counterparts in Europe or the US. "This historic step will improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of workers and their families," he said.

The change comes alongside an average 11% salary increase for public sector workers and additional budget allocations for vulnerable sectors.

While government ministries implemented this change in April, the Histadrut is now pushing for similar reductions in the private sector, where the average work week still stands at 42 hours.

* Ice News contributed to this article.