Labor Minister Bärbel Bas has called on unions and employers to resume talks on reforming working hours. She made the announcement at the DGB federal congress.
Bas spoke before around 400 delegates in Berlin. She noted that the SPD had agreed in the coalition contract to replace the daily maximum working time with a weekly maximum. The failed social partner dialogue should now be restarted.
The minister said verbatim: “If it were up to the SPD and me personally, we wouldn’t touch the issue of working time at all – but it’s in the coalition agreement.” She wanted to leave nothing untried to achieve unity.
Bas had originally announced a draft law by the end of June. The DGB’s main demand remains “Hands off the eight-hour day”.
