Germany’s ruling Social Democratic Party recently called for the introduction of a 25-hour work week, arguing that it's the only way to end "self-exploitation." What a strange understanding of work, argues one German expert in labor law.
The German state can impose a maximum number of working hours in a week to protect employees’ health, but anything beyond that is unconstitutional.
-OpEd-
BERLIN — “In order to create a working environment that gives employees a good quality of life and self-determination, we are calling for a working week of 25 hours in the medium term," is the new stance on labor taken by Germany's ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD).
At its recent party convention, the SPD explained its approach: "To ensure that employees do not suffer financial losses, there should be no salary cuts. At the same time, this should not lead to an intensification of work, or increased pressure to achieve results. The reduction in working hours can be achieved through adjusting staffing levels.”
Economists are shaking their heads in bewilderment, and legal experts are just as confused. In Germany, the state does not decide how many hours its citizens work. It doesn’t have the power to do so. It can impose a maximum number of weekly working hours to protect employees’ health, but anything beyond that is unconstitutional.
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