Verdi-Chef Frank Werneke warns about potential consequences of planned reform of the German Working Hours Act by the Union and SPD. He warns that the proposed removal of the current limit of eight hours of work per day could result in “13 hours of work in a row being possible and legally permissible.” Werneke further warns that thousands of employees in sectors such as retail, package delivery, logistics and care will be under immense pressure, with an unbearable workload. He argues that the claim that not enough is being worked in Germany is incorrect, stating that employees are carrying 600 million hours of overtime that they cannot cope with due to excessive workload.
Regarding the minimum wage, Verdi-Chef expresses a clear expectation of the future coalition: “If employers in the minimum wage commission reject the overdue increase, then the upcoming coalition of Schwarz/Rot should instead legislate a statutory 15 euro minimum wage” says Werneke.