Spahn urges SPD to honor coalition agreement on working time reform

The crux of the reform

In one passage of the interview, Spahn invited the coalition partner to commit with determination: "Ich gehe davon aus, dazu steht die SPD, wie wir ja auch zu den Teilen stehen, die uns schwerfallen, siehe Rente." The parliamentary group leader acknowledged that governing between the Union and the SPD is "manchmal auch mühsam".

The SPD's position is however explicitly critical. In mid-May, on the occasion of the congress of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), Federal Labor Minister Bärbel Bas declared: "Wenn es nach der SPD und nach mir persönlich geht, fassen wir das Thema Arbeitszeit gar nicht erst an." Bas nevertheless acknowledged that the issue is included in the coalition agreement: "Aber es stehe nun mal im Koalitionsvertrag."

The position of the unions

The reform plan is contested. Employer associations are calling for greater flexibility and deregulation, while the unions reject the plans. IG Metall and Verdi are among the organizations that firmly oppose any change to the existing rules, considered a historic achievement of workers.

Spahn defended the underlying idea with an everyday example: "Bei der Wochenarbeitszeit ist es doch etwas ganz Lebenspraktisches: Wenn Sie dienstlich um 23 Uhr noch eine E-Mail schreiben, dann dürfen Sie morgens gar nicht so früh wieder anfangen, die nächste zu schreiben." According to the parliamentary group leader, a working week would allow workloads to be distributed differently.

The CDU politician stressed that protections will in any case remain guaranteed: "Wenn das Arbeitgeber und ihre Beschäftigten flexibel regeln wollen, gibt es trotzdem immer noch Schutz." He also hoped that the new rules would find a place in a regulatory framework applicable to all, avoiding disparities.

Other issues on the political agenda

In the interview, Spahn also addressed other current political issues. He expressed himself in favor of a revision of paragraph 188 of the German Criminal Code, which particularly punishes offenses against political figures. While acknowledging the legitimacy of protecting politicians from hatred and defamation, he noted that the current rule is often perceived in public opinion as a "Sonderrecht für die Mächtigen".

The parliamentary group leader finally called on the SPD for a clear commitment to the agreed reforms, invoking a "Schwur" on the measures already established in the coalition contract. The question of working time therefore remains open and risks becoming one of the most delicate issues in the governmental cooperation between the Union and the SPD in the coming months.