Germany considers ending 8-hour workday in favor of weekly hour calculation

Germany's ruling coalition is advancing plans for a significant labor market reform, centered on a new Working Time Act that could fundamentally alter the country's long-standing eight-hour workday model. The proposed legislation has ignited strong reactions from unions and worker organizations, who express deep concern over potential erosion of existing worker protections.

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No one will be forced to work 13 hours a day.

The core of the reform involves shifting from a daily hour limit to a weekly calculation of working hours. This means that instead of a strict cap on daily work, the focus would be on the total workload throughout the week. The coalition agreement states that a "detailed dialogue with social partners" will be conducted to shape this new model. The eight-hour workday rule has been a cornerstone of German labor law since 1918, currently stipulating that daily working hours should not exceed eight hours, with exceptions for up to ten hours in rare circumstances.

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The rigid and strictly defined eight-hour workday originates from the era of teletext and rotary phones and simply no longer corresponds to today's digital and global working world.

Employer representatives, however, are pushing back against the criticisms. Rainer Dulger, president of the Federation of German Employers' Associations, dismissed fears of excessively long shifts, stating, "No one will be forced to work 13 hours a day." He described the concerns as "completely unfounded" and asserted that the reform aims to create a "modern working time law" that offers greater flexibility for both companies and employees. Dulger argued that the rigid eight-hour day, originating from a bygone era of telex machines, is no longer suitable for today's digital and globalized world. He also believes Germany needs to increase total working hours to address demographic challenges.

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With the mentality of a half-time working republic, we will not manage to overcome the demographic challenges that lie ahead of us.

Conversely, German unions are sounding the alarm. The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) fears the reforms will weaken worker protections rather than improve employees' situations. DGB President Yasmin Fahimi declared that many workers view these proposals as a "one-sided burden and the abolition of protective rights." She strongly opposed the changes, stating, "We absolutely do not want to be thrown back to the times before 1918." The debate highlights a fundamental tension between the desire for increased business flexibility and the protection of workers' rights, with the new law expected to be discussed further in June.

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We absolutely do not want to be thrown back to the times before 1918.