The NYT has a century-plus history of pushing the defacto national narratives used by politicians - while they might not be openly backed by any federal interest, they are certainly stochastically willing to play along. Therefore, if they publish something like this, take notice, because it's most likely that some group inside the power structure wants it to now become a political issue as a part of a future economic framework. The current framework is in a failure mode and this fact is becoming increasingly evident at all levels - support for a radical change of some kind must be built and factions are emerging across various sides of the issue.
As the article notes, the last time four-day normalization was floated was the 70's, also a period with substantial labor unrest. The resolution ultimately arrived at then was to cut safety nets, taxes and jobs, clearing the way for investment in the productivity booms of the 80's and 90's. This time might be when the issue is campaigned upon, since the prior doctrine has already run its course and the signals are raining down from up high to attempt a green-energy "own-nothing" economy. The contra faction of this, of course, is also something Rick Scott is pushing - the "crypto economy." The actual outcome is likely to have a blend of both approaches, as is typical with political realignments. Four-day normalization could be compatible. We shall see.