Overview
- The government is preparing a June draft to shift from a daily eight-hour cap to a weekly limit on working time.
- Labour Minister Bärbel Bas signaled she does not want to scrap the eight-hour day despite the coalition pact.
- Unions and labour-law analysts warn a weekly cap could permit up to 73.5 hours in a six-day week, enabling 12-hour-plus days.
- The reform is set to include mandatory electronic time recording to meet European Court of Justice rules on tracking hours.
- SPD youth leader Philipp Türmer called dropping the eight-hour day a “Frechheit” and said it ignores workers’ needs.