Working time law reform: CDU rejects ministry draft proposing flexible weekly hours
Germany’s coalition faces a setback as the CDU dismisses a circulated draft for the working time law reform, arguing it departs from agreed coalition commitments and cannot form the basis for negotiations.
The CDU’s general secretary, Carsten Linnemann, publicly rejected a draft produced within the Federal Ministry of Labour that would swap the current daily cap on working hours for a flexible weekly limit, saying the document does not match the coalition’s commitment to flexibilise working time. His statement instantly elevated the debate over how far and for whom the proposed changes would apply, putting a previously internal paper at the heart of political contention.
CDU rejects ministry draft on working time law reform
The CDU framed its response as a defense of the coalition agreement, asserting the ministry’s text lacked fidelity to what partners had negotiated. Linnemann said the draft “cannot be the basis” for further coalition work, signalling the party will press for a redrafting that aligns with prior political bargains. The blunt rejection from a leading coalition partner raises the stakes for intra-coalition talks and suggests the ministry must clarify or revise its position.
Draft would replace daily cap with flexible weekly limit
According to the draft, employers could offer a flexible weekly working-time framework in place of the existing daily maximums, enabling different distributions of hours across a seven-day period. Proponents argue a weekly ceiling can allow firms and staff to adjust schedules to operational needs and personal circumstances. Critics counter that shifting limits from day to week could permit much longer single workdays and complicate monitoring and enforcement of rest periods.
Unions warn of health risks from longer workdays
Trade unions and social policy advocates have signalled concerns that extended single-day working patterns could harm employee health, citing risks such as fatigue and longer-term physical and mental strain. Medical and occupational-safety experts have repeatedly warned that sustained long shifts increase accident risk and chronic health problems. These warnings have become a central part of public debate as policymakers weigh flexibility against worker protection.
Union MPs demand universal weekly maximum
Within the CDU parliamentary group, social-policy spokesman Marc Biadacz criticised provisions that might restrict the weekly maximum to companies bound by collective agreements, saying any new cap must apply to all workers. Biadacz insisted the law must not create different standards for tariff-bound and non-tariff firms, and he called for continued legal space for trust-based working time across the economy. His statements underline a political push to ensure uniform protections and to preserve flexible work models for salaried staff.
Ministry says paper is an internal working version
The Federal Ministry of Labour described the circulated text as an internal, non-final working document that had not been formally adopted. The ministry’s clarification aimed to temper reactions and indicate that consultations and legal refinement were still pending. Officials signalled that any formal proposal would follow further internal review and stakeholder consultation, leaving open both the content and the timing of an official legislative initiative.
Employers, social partners and the chancellor’s office set to engage
Employers’ associations have argued for greater flexibility to adapt staffing and hours to fluctuating demand, a position that the draft partially seeks to address. Meanwhile, the chancellor’s office is expected to convene social partners for talks, continuing a pattern of negotiated compromise on labour-market reforms. Observers say a durable solution will likely require bridling the most extreme positions on each side and finding a compromise that protects health while allowing practical flexibility for businesses.
The emerging row over the working time law reform illustrates the difficulty of reconciling coalition commitments, labour protections and economic flexibility in a single legislative package. With the ministry calling the paper a draft and the CDU calling for alignment with the coalition agreement, further rounds of negotiation are probable before any bill is presented.
