The UGT trade union is open to introducing a time bank system via direct agreement between employee and employer, provided it is within the scope of collective bargaining and includes new safeguards, such as additional pay and exemptions for parents of young children. The proposal, reported by ECO, suggests that individual time bank agreements would only be valid if permitted by a collective agreement, rejecting the government's push for a standalone individual model. The UGT also proposes a 50% pay premium for accumulated hours and specific protections for workers with family responsibilities, including those with children up to three years old or children with disabilities. Additionally, the union proposes that employees with children up to eight years old be granted the right to a continuous working day, allowing for a one-hour reduction in working hours without employer consent. Negotiations are now in their final stages as the matter moves to the Standing Committee for Social Concertation.