Workers express anxiety over potential repercussions due to daily work hours exceeding ten
In a series of studies and surveys, various organisations have expressed concerns about a proposed change to the working hour regulations in Germany.
The German Hotel and Restaurant Association (Dehoga) argues that rigid working time regulations are no longer suitable for life in Germany, particularly in the hospitality industry. They suggest that workdays could potentially exceed twelve hours, with the hours being balanced out over a longer period to average eight hours.
However, the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) conducted a survey revealing that more than half of respondents desire to reduce their working hours. The survey results indicate that women are more likely to anticipate negative effects than men, due to women performing more unpaid care work.
A study by the WSI, a think tank close to trade unions, shows that many employees are concerned about a proposed switch to a daily maximum working time exceeding ten hours. The authors of the study conclude that abolishing the legal daily working time limit is neither necessary nor sensible.
The Labor Code already allows exceptions to the daily working time limit in certain circumstances. However, a significant number of employees' desires for longer working hours are not met due to company structures and employers' refusal, not the Labor Code.
The Hans-Böckler-Foundation, not mentioned earlier, conducted a study showing that 12% of respondents already work more than ten hours on at least some days of the week.
The German government aims to increase flexibility in working hours to boost the economy. The government and employers' associations propose to regulate the maximum working time not daily, but weekly, allowing workdays of more than ten hours temporarily.
The German trade union NGG Ostwestfalen-Lippe, represented by Thorsten Kleile, criticizes the planned extension of daily working hours beyond eight hours and emphasizes the need for reliable, family-compatible working times instead of longer daily limits. Implicitly, this supports a reform focusing more on weekly working time maxima rather than daily maxima.
As the debate continues, it is clear that finding a balance between economic growth and employee well-being is a key concern for all parties involved.
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