Germany’s Union Movement Fights Proposed Workweek Extension to 73.5 Hours
Published on 07/25/2026 at 03:25 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
The German food and hospitality union NGG has issued a nationwide warning that a planned overhaul of the country’s Working Hours Act would strip protections from millions of employees. Parents and those caring for relatives would face the heaviest burden, the union argues.
Under the government’s proposal, the current daily maximum working time would be replaced with a weekly limit. A standard cap of 48 hours per week would apply, but exceptions could push that figure as high as 73.5 hours. The NGG has rejected the plan in multiple regional statements, including from branches in Lower Saxony, Baden-Württemberg and Thuringia.
“The eight-hour day must not be abandoned as a protective barrier for workers,” the union warned. Predictable end-of-day times are essential for social participation, especially in sectors with irregular schedules, it added.
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Childcare infrastructure is already falling short, the NGG said, citing data from the German Youth Institute. In the district of Konstanz, only 34 percent of children under three have a daycare place, while demand stands at 46 percent. Frankfurt am Main shows a 45 percent coverage rate against a 52 percent need. Rural areas like the Wartburg district and Uckermark face even wider gaps, with demand reaching up to 65 percent.
Longer workdays would cause childcare arrangements to collapse for many families, the union cautioned. The same applies to elder care, which surveys show is provided by 51 percent of women and 41 percent of men.
Health risks are also significant. Concentration drops sharply after eight hours, the NGG noted. After twelve hours of work, the accident rate doubles. Extended shifts are therefore not a suitable response to labour shortages — they disproportionately increase strain on existing staff, the union said.
Industry and craft-sector groups are pushing back with demands for greater flexibility. Mercedes-Benz has called for a 40-hour workweek without wage compensation. Sector representatives point to the ongoing crisis: production is roughly 15 percent below its 2018 peak. In 2025 alone, 50,000 jobs were cut in the automotive industry.
The German Confederation of Skilled Crafts is also pressing for more flexibility, including lifting the ban on Sunday baking for bakeries. The goal is not to abolish the eight-hour day but to make practical adjustments, the group said.
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Data from 2025 shows that 7.1 percent of full-time employees already work more than 48 hours per week. The rate is highest among self-employed people with staff, at 44.5 percent, and solo self-employed workers, at 23 percent. Among salaried employees, the figure is 4.1 percent. The average workweek stands at 40.2 hours.
A clear generational divide is visible: nearly one in ten workers aged 55 to 64 logs excessive hours, compared with just 1.4 percent of those aged 15 to 24.
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