Trade union council calls for shorter working hours with full pay

The Interregional Trade Union Council of the Lake Constance region has called for shorter working hours with no loss of pay, ORF reported after its annual meeting in Bregenz on Tuesday.

Representatives of trade unions from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein meet once a year through the council. This year’s meeting focused on creating a working environment that supports health, quality of life and work-life balance.

Globalisation, digitalisation, automation and artificial intelligence are rapidly changing the world of work, while working hours have remained largely unchanged. The traditional 40-hour week dates back to the 1970s, the council said.

Although new technologies can make many processes more efficient and increase productivity, the council criticised growing workloads, psychological strain and pressure to remain constantly reachable.

ÖGB state chairman Reinhard Stemmer said the four countries had different working-time models but faced the same problems, including overwork and rising sickness absence. He said shorter working hours were needed to counter the trend.

The unions are also calling for a four-day week, mandatory recording of working hours, a right to disconnect and limits on daily working hours.

In Germany, the maximum working day is currently under discussion. Bärbel Mauch of the DGB South East Baden-Württemberg region criticised plans by the German government to amend working-time legislation and move away from the eight-hour day. This could allow working days of up to 12 hours, she said.