The less than 40 hours a week is a cost savings for the state.  Not sure why you think it was bargained for some sort of benefit for workers?  Maybe I’m wrong, but I thought the 37.5 hour week came from the economy crash of the 80’s.  My wife is an hourly employee of the state. Based off a 52 week year, a 40 hour a week hourly employee gets paid 2,080 hours.  She gets paid for 1950 hours.  That’s a difference of 130 hours a pay a year.  So how is the 37.5 hour work week a benefit? The idea that all state workers earn huge wages is ridiculous.  There are plenty of good, intelligent, hardworking folks that work for the state. I’ve received horrible and incompetent service from many places in the private sector.  Just saying….  Fyi I work in the private sector, and am not in a union.