Opposition to Regular Weekly Work Schedule
Get Ready for 12-Hour Work Days? Here's the Dirty Lowdown
The looming shift towards a weekly work time cap, as per the trade union-backed Hans-Böckler-Foundation, could result in grueling workdays of up to 12 hours and 15 minutes. According to an analysis by the Hugo-Sinzheimer-Institute for Labor Law (HSI), these extended hours could pose serious health risks, increased sick days, and strain on families.
The federal government, as per the coalition agreement, seeks to establish the possibility of "a weekly instead of a daily maximum working time." However, existing rest time regulations, which mandate at least an 11-hour gap between shifts and 45 minutes of break time during the workday, could set the stage for workdays of over 12 hours.
Trade unions have been vehemently opposed to deviating from the traditional 8-hour workday for weeks, while employers' associations have been advocating for a more flexible labor market for years. Yasmin Fahimi, the DGB chairwoman, reiterated her criticism in a recent rant to the "Rheinische Post", criticizing the plan as a move towards legitimizing questionable business practices, such as regular 12-hour shifts among subcontractors in the parcel service or lack of rest times in the hotel and catering industry.
The HSI analysis highlights the drawbacks of the coalition's plans:
Health Hazards- "Medically, it's been established for ages that working for more than 8 hours can jeopardize health," the paper asserts. Over the long term, this can lead to stress-related, psychological illnesses, more absences, and an increased accident risk.
Family Planning- Despite the coalition agreement's claim that the innovation would be "especially in the interest of better reconciling family and work", the HSI counters that predictability and scheduling are crucial for work-family balance. The change could potentially lead to reduced working hours, particularly among women.
Existing Labor Law- The HSI experts also point out that the existing law offers sufficient flexibility, allowing for working days of up to 10 hours under certain conditions. Moreover, the working time volume of dependent employees in Germany in 2023 was 54.59 billion hours, significantly above the level of 52.2 billion hours in 1991. However, the average working time of employees dropped from 1478 hours in 1991 to 1295 hours in 2023, thanks to a surge in part-time employment. This reduction in average weekly hours leaves room for debate regarding the need to relax the Working Hours Act.
The proposed change aims to balance worker needs with employer flexibility while complying with EU regulations. However, the precise impact will depend on how the policies are enforced at the workplace level. Expect more debates and stark contrasts between unions and employers in the coming days!
Enlightening Insights:- The shift aligns Germany with EU law, which sets a weekly limit of 48 hours but has no daily maximum, ensuring compliance with EU directives.- The new government plans to increase digitalization in labor law, including online works council meetings, digital voting processes, and electronic recording of working hours for enhanced participation and compliance.- Overtime supplements are expected to become tax-free, potentially incentivizing workers to work extra hours, but could also lead to disputes over regular versus supplementary pay.
Science plays a crucial role in evaluating the health implications of extended workdays, as prolonged working hours beyond the traditional 8-hour day could potentially lead to increased health and wellness concerns in the workplace. The health-and-wellness sector is expected to be impacted significantly due to potential stress-related illnesses, increased sick days, and an increased accident risk.
Moreover, the implementation of these extended workdays could challenge the work-family balance, undermining the current efforts towards better health and workplace wellness, especially for women. Thus, it is essential for policymakers to consider the potential consequences on employee health, work-life balance, and overall workplace wellness while making decisions regarding work hour regulations.
