Uses of Time

The virtual event, which took place on Wednesday 1 June, served as an opportunity to exchange time policies with other Spanish municipalities: Beasain, Bilbao, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Villarreal and Vilanova i la Geltrú. This first national exchange formed part of a series of activities promoted by Barcelona, as the first world capital of time policies, and represented an opportunity to share experiences and good practices with other Spanish municipalities and cities throughout Europe and Latin America.

 Initiatives and actions that are conceived to respond to the strategic challenges related to the need for a positive work-life balance, which are promoted by time policies, were recognised in the event: care, shared responsibility and time policies in the workplace.

Montserrat Ballarín, Barcelona City Councillor for Commerce, Markets, Consumption, Internal Regime and Taxation, opened the meeting and stressed that “for this impetus to be comprehensive and effective, it needs a metropolitan time scale and the networking of as many municipalities as possible, as well as all the economic and social stakeholders involved. The general public’s right to time is essential for guaranteeing the socio-economic development of our cities in a competitive, healthy and egalitarian way. We must find shared solutions so that no one is left behind”.

It was then the turn of representatives from the local sphere: Carlos Daniel Casares, the General Secretary of the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP); Joana Ortega, the General Secretary of the Catalan Association of Municipalities (ACM); and Olga Arnau, the Mayor of Vilanova i la Geltrú and President of the Catalan Federation of Municipalities (FMC). 

Six time policies that help to improve equality, health and efficiency

Sonia Ruiz, Director of the Barcelona City Council’s Gender and Time Policy Departments, made a speech which shone a light on the current situation of time policies in the local sphere. In it, she highlighted the need to tackle various strategic areas, such as the new work scenarios, sustainability, health and gender equality, as well as addressing the issue of “time poverty”, which is the result of an unequal distribution of the right to time.  

In all, six time policies that help to improve equality, health and efficiency were presented. 

In the area of care and shared responsibility, Leire Artola, the Mayor of Beasain (Guipúscoa), presented the Herrilab project: an action plan for promoting a positive work-life balance in the municipality. Then, Silvia Gómez, the First Deputy Mayor and General Coordinator of the City Council Mayor’s Office in Villarreal (Castellón), presented a study that is being carried out to determine the current state of the work-life balance in the municipality, which is part of promoting the Ministry of Equality’s Shared Responsibility Plan.

On behalf of the Barcelona City Council, Núria Salas presented the Vila Veïna project, which offers information and resources on the available initiatives and services that are designed to facilitate the care tasks of other people and a higher availability of their time.

Lluïsa Moret, Mayor of Sant Boi de Llobregat, presented her municipality’s internal measures as an example of how to promote and encourage more efficient labour policies. Nekane Alonso, the Bilbao City Councillor for Equality, explained the origin and motivation behind the denBBOra company network: an initiative promoted by the municipality and the Biscay Provincial Council to create a public-private space that aims to achieve better time management in its organisations.

Raquel Gil, Barcelona City Council Commissioner for Promoting Employment and Policies Against Job Insecurity, highlighted the experience of the NUST Company Network, which has been up and running for over 15 years and has over 130 member companies. She also stressed the importance of introducing company time organisation in public-private agreements and promotion policies, such as the 2021-2030 Barcelona Quality Employment Agreement, which was signed in April by the City Council and 60 Barcelona-based associations and organisations. 

The closing speech and conclusions were presented by Emilia Pallàs, Chief Executive of Local Socio-Economic Development at Barcelona Activa. This was an opportunity for attending municipalities to join the Network of Local and Regional Governments for Time Policies and take part in forthcoming World Capital events, such as Time Use Week which will be held in Barcelona from 24 to 29 October.

Consult the full list of videos from the event.