Full Breakdown
Germany’s Eight-Hour Workday Faces Reform Push
By Drooid · · How we work
Reform Debate Over the Working Hours Act
The coalition government of the Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) is locked in a dispute over a proposed amendment to the Working Hours Act. The draft, first prepared by the Labor and Social Affairs Ministry in June 2026, would allow employers to extend daily shifts beyond the current eight-hour limit, permitting up to ten hours with compensatory time off and, in exceptional cases, 12-hour shifts. Proponents argue that a shift-based, weekly-hour ceiling would give businesses greater flexibility, while opponents warn that longer days could harm health and family life.
Background and Political Context
The issue stems from the coalition’s 2025 agreement, which pledged to modernise labour regulations. The CDU/CSU has long advocated for more flexible rules, citing the European Working Time Directive’s 48-hour weekly maximum. The SPD, traditionally protective of workers’ rights, reluctantly accepted the conservative proposal after negotiations, noting that emergency services and certain industrial sectors already operate under 12-hour schedules.
Official Statements & Responses
SPD labour spokesperson Annika Klose stressed that flexibility must be “mutual” and warned against unilateral employer mandates that would force employees to work from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. without consent.
Criticism and Opposition
The trade union Verdi warned that extending the workday could jeopardise employee health and disadvantage caregivers. Within the SPD, the youth wing Jusos, the “60plus” group, and the women’s wing issued a joint paper titled “Self-determination, Not Deregulation,” demanding that any schedule changes be decided jointly by employers and employees through collective bargaining.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The allowance is being taken advantage of almost everywhere else — except here,” — Rainer Dulger