Union and business split over shorter working hours

Calls for shorter working hours with full pay have drawn opposing responses in Vorarlberg, ORF reports. The Interregional Trade Union Council of Lake Constance backed shorter working hours, a four-day week and a right not to be reachable at a meeting in Bregenz on Tuesday. The Vorarlberg Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Austrian Industries rejected a general reduction, while the Austrian Trade Union Federation defended the proposal.

ÖGB Vorarlberg chairman Reinhard Stemmer cited rising workloads and increasing sick leave. He said the world of work had changed substantially while standard working hours had barely changed.

Julian Fässler, director of the Vorarlberg Chamber of Commerce, said a general reduction in working hours was the wrong approach. He pointed to the shortage of workers and weak productivity growth. Average actual working time in Austria is now around 29.4 hours a week, he said. In the chamber’s view, reducing the volume of work while maintaining pay would raise costs and weaken competitiveness.

Elmar Hartmann, president of the Federation of Austrian Industries, made a similar argument. He warned of higher labour costs and pointed to the difficult economic situation. Shorter working hours would require additional staff in sectors already facing shortages, such as nursing, medicine and the police, he said.

The ÖGB said the figure of 29.4 hours combines full-time and part-time employees. According to the European Commission, full-time employees work an average of 40.7 hours a week.

Stemmer also pointed to Austria’s high part-time employment rate, particularly among women. Many work fewer hours because of childcare, care duties or other unpaid work, he said. Anyone seeking to increase the volume of work would therefore have to create better conditions for more full-time employment.

The two sides also disagree over productivity. The Chamber of Commerce and industry representatives oppose cutting working hours with full pay unless productivity rises accordingly. The ÖGB argues that productivity gains have enabled reductions in working hours in the past and that part of future gains should also benefit employees through more free time.