To think 'Full time' should mean less hours?

It is not ignorant. It is practical.
I am aware some public sector have trialled working four days instead of five.
Companies who run things like bin collections would not pay people the same money to do less work. And then hire more people and have to pay these extra people. If they did their contract with the LA would have to change. And it would be more expensive. Ditto elsewhere too.

I really do not want to pay a public sector worker for five days but working four days because they want to do a side hustle.

I suspect, as I have already mentioned hours may well eventually reduce, and pay improve. But not by a go slow, or doing fewer hours for the same pay.
I do not also think many would suddenly become healthier or exercise or any of that because they are doing four days and not five. I am afraid.

I am open other opinions. But not to personal insults. Thanks.

The "wage loss since 2010" argument is bullshit because it implies that it's specific to NHS workers.

Salaries for ALL workers across ALL sectors have effectively fallen since the great recession, after inflation is taken into account. It is NOT specific to the NHS or medical professions.

@glitterpaperchain What exactly sounds lazy about making meals from scratch, exercising, and starting a side hustle?

Just start a side hustle bro! Just make more money bro! A side hustle works for tech bros, bro!

Everyone says just start a "side hustle" but it's simply not possible to magically create a second job out of thin fucking air. What makes you think that's possible?

If the productivity gains of working a four day week have been proven, is there solid evidence that part-time workers are more productive? That could be a great boost for flexibility.

A couple of businesses I know well have tried this but the stipulation was that the extra day off would be a midweek day. People created such a drama over it that they dropped the idea.

What happens to part time workers? Do we get our hours cut too or are we expected to suck up crap pay?

Yes OP, some Scandinavian countries have trialled a 4 day week or 30hrs over 5 days and many found productivity was just as good and employees were happier. My husband works in the IT sector. Their small company couldn't afford to give pay raises so their employees all got an additional 5 days annual leave. I think it's a great idea. I work a 4 day week myself (I'm a teacher so I unfortunately I loose a day's pay) and my mental health is so much better for it.

There has been news of redundancies at several high profile employers including Barclays, Jaguar Landrover, Canva, Clearscore, Virgin Media, Whitbread, etc. plus hiring freezes at many NHS trusts and universities. My LinkedIn has been flooded with people who are looking for work after “corporate restructuring” (aka offshoring and AI integration).

It wouldn’t be easy to introduce in every sector, but it’s certainly got potential. And as others have said there’s evidence that cutting hours a bit doesn’t actually reduce productivity.

This wouldn't work for everyone but should be an option.
I believe you can choose to reduce hours and employer must give it serious consideration (but they can still say still say no)
My days work is more money than my commute.
I have no children
I already cook homecooked meals
I have weekend free for hobbiesand exercise, also have an active job
Side hustle is unlikely to pay as much as my day at work

Carful what you wish for OP. What if it starts with the organisation using AI to make up the 7.5 hours per week then they realise AI can actually do 22.5 of your hours per week and everyone is forced to go part time for part time wages or made redundant. There’s no way a business is only going to use AI to benefit you, if it works then they will use it to reduce the wage bill.

This!

I’m guessing you are not in the NHS and don’t know about A4C or medical pay scales.
I did not say it was just NHS. However if applied to the NHS it would result in the loss of 1.5 days from all A4C staff. This is before you account for significant down-banding.

It sound like you are aggravated by your own industry/profession’s relative loss of pay. Feel free to address your anger by giving your own figures as may would be more constructive.

It's one of the things OP suggested people may do with the time, and PP said OP was pushing for people to be lazy. I'm saying I don't think someone wanting to start a side hustle is lazy. I'm not saying I agree with side hustle culture or the economic conditions which have created it. Though I do know of many people (including myself) who freelance on the side, so it is possible.

@glitterpaperchain Though I do know of many people (including myself) who freelance on the side, so it is possible.

Doing what, exactly???

This mess for modestly paid jobs began with the NMW and the employer subsidy via the taxpayer to top up a wage. Before that existed, employers had to put their hand in their pockets if they wanted to keep or attract good staff.
Sometimes it was peaks and troughs for the worker, but better than now, when it seems all flat lined; the same.

The public sector always had the pension pointed at. And still does. But has always been a fairly stable place to work.

The NHS though lives in an insular bubble. The world has had a pandemic, global recessions, and wars since 2008.

I don't know why you seem to be freaking out about this. Among myself and people I know, tutoring, marketing, administrative support.

Having another job if you are a public servant can be an issue. You have to let your employer know about it.
To ensure you are not using their time to do another job. That would be considered a form of theft from the taxpayer.

Yes, you’re right, but I suspect you won’t win that particular battle in a public sector role. Have you considered putting in a flexible working request instead? You could ask to work four days a week or perhaps a nine-day fortnight. Every organisation has a legal obligation to consider a formal flexible working request.

You could frame the additional time around personal development, family commitments or simply achieving a better work-life balance. Ultimately, you’d be working fewer days without necessarily having to change roles or make a big career decision.

It's not a bad idea OP. I recall there was something a few years ago maybe where people or certain businesses were offering 4 days per week on the same pay - is that right? As some PPs have said I feel that working hours could be reduced in some businesses without it impacting productivity. Most people are not working constantly 9-5.30 I would guess. It could be linked to performance if the employer said the employee could do it if they felt their output would be the same. I'd bet a lot of people would make sure it was.

Increasingly people aren’t paid for the hours they work, they’re paid for the work they do. That’s why smart objectives are outcome based.

Less than 6% of workers work in the NHS so why in heaven do NHS workers continue on many threads to say 'well obviously you don't work in the NHS'. NO they possibly don't.

The quiet expectation of unpaid overtime also becomes problematic when hours are reduced. The entity expects salaried employees to get the job done, but if they start reducing hours as compensation, people are more likely to stick to those hours.