Employers' Association President Dulger Calls for Statutory Maximum Weekly Working Hours

Unions' Position

The unions have reacted with sharp criticism to this push. DGB Vice Chair Stefan Körzell said: "Wer den Acht-Stunden-Tag angreift, spielt mit dem Feuer." From the unions' perspective, the daily eight-hour day has been a central pillar of workplace health protection for decades. In the DGB's view, a switch to a purely weekly arrangement could lead to employees having to work significantly longer on individual days.

Politically, the issue is already anchored in the federal government. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) said at his summer press conference in mid-July that he expected a draft bill on working time reform from Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) in the fall. The Ministry of Labor is therefore taking the lead in drafting an amendment to the Working Time Act. From the federal government it was said that the reform should benefit both employers and employees.

The Federal Government's Position

Observers see the employers' demand as an attempt to strengthen collective bargaining autonomy and expand operational leeway. At the same time, labor law experts point out that a weekly maximum working time corresponds to international standards, as laid down, for example, in the European Working Time Directive. The directive provides for a weekly maximum limit of 48 hours but allows for exceptions.

Within the SPD, the position is divided. While Labor Minister Bas is tasked with implementing the Chancellor's reform mandate, individual SPD state groups are skeptical about weakening the daily eight-hour day. Within the Union as well, there are voices pointing to existing health protections. A definitive line from the coalition has yet to emerge.

Impact on Employees

The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) also points out that a weekly rather than daily maximum working time could lead to longer daily workloads, particularly in industries with shift work and long operating hours such as care, logistics, or manufacturing. Körzell pointed to corresponding experiences from other European countries, where longer working days have made it harder to reconcile family and career.

The employers counter that a weekly arrangement would give employees more self-determination. Those who work overtime on one day could compensate for it on another day. This flexibilization, Dulger argues, is a contribution to better reconciliation of family and career. Empirical studies on how such a shift would actually affect working reality are not yet available for Germany.

Outlook for the Fall

With the draft bill announced for the fall, pressure is mounting on the federal government to find a balance between the interests of employers and the unions. Both sides have made clear that they want to participate in the process. The debate is thus likely to pick up speed in the coming weeks, especially as collective bargaining rounds in several key industries are also upcoming.

In the meantime, initial business associations are preparing their own position papers in which they intend to put forward concrete proposals on the design of a weekly maximum working time. Works councils and chambers have also already spoken out, emphasizing the importance of the daily eight-hour day for health protection. A broad societal debate about the future of working time in Germany is thus taking shape.