I believe that increasing productivity and efficiency as a measure is just going too far now. The rate of work-related stress, depression and anxiety continues to rise across the UK. A quarter of all sick days last year were the result of workload, costing businesses and the public sector billions of pounds. We are facing a mental health crisis, and Members on all sides know that we simply do not have the resources or NHS staff to adequately treat the symptoms.

Workers are not machines. Workers have families and lives to live. We may need to work to live, but we should not live to work. I believe that health, well-being and happiness should be a measure, not just gross domestic product and productivity. People are being squeezed to death by increasing productivity and efficiency to make money all the time. They can't do any more.

I know from my own personal experience as a postal worker that employees are under constant pressure to work longer days, without the guarantee of increased contracted hours. All new starters now in Royal Mail are offered a 25-hour working week, but they're expected to work 35, 40 hours a week. Some of the rounds I did were 600 houses on a round. I had to walk 12 miles a day to complete that round. They've just increased it to 800 houses on that round because the computer says that can be done. I was fortunate that I did it four days a week along with my councillor role, so I did have days when I could rest in between. But I do know that the postal workers, the new ones that have to do these increased rounds, are just wearing themselves out. It impacts on their joints, their health and their well-being. 

This is a widespread issue. Teacher retention rates continue to decline. A high level of staff turnover in the NHS is increasingly linked to poor work-life balance. This is what we're hearing all the time, aren't we? Some will claim we cannot afford a four-day week. This ignores the evidence that shows increased productivity when a four-day week has been introduced. Relegating the debate to a simple cost exercise ignores the huge cost of mental health to our society and economy, and the benefits an improved work-life balance brings to individuals' well-being.

Can I just say as well that I've been looking at jobs online—my husband's been looking as well—but some of the shift patterns now are horrendous? I saw one job; it was working 12 hours a day, seven days a week for the whole week, and then you get the following week off. How can you look after your family doing that? How can you sort out picking kids up from school? I can't see it happen. And your body clock as well, working seven days, 12 hours a day for a week and a week off. This is again because of productivity and efficiencies, because factories work in 12-hour shifts. I saw it also when I was cabinet member for streetscene,  I must admit—trying to keep the vehicles going, because then that drives efficiency. But people are not robots. It all adds up. 

The Labour movement has been responsible for tremendous change in this country, from the weekend to paid holidays, minimum wage and workplace pensions. Can I just say I'm proud of my colleague Jack Sargeant for bringing this issue to the fore? Because I heard about this before. And thank you again for bringing the debate here today, Luke. I support the Welsh Government in examining the available evidence so our movement can continue to be at the forefront in delivering a fairer deal for workers in Wales. This has got to happen. We're at breaking point, I believe. So, thank you very much. Diolch.