Greens leader Franziska Brantner has expressed openness regarding the expansion of maximum daily working hours, arguing that employee interests are diverse. Speaking to the “Tagesspiegel”, she noted that while some individuals require job protection against exploitation, others value and desire greater flexibility. She stressed the importance of allowing employees to establish flexible work models in agreement with their employers, provided that increased flexibility does not come at the expense of the workers themselves.
Brantner also considers reforms to termination protection to be feasible. The Green politician stated that given the rapidly changing nature of the working world, both security and flexibility are necessary. Employees require support to adapt to these changes, while simultaneously, companies need the certainty that they have the flexibility required to implement necessary innovations.
On the subject of policy disputes, Brantner distanced herself from her co-party leader, Felix Banaszak, regarding changes to job security. She fired down the Union’s proposal to eliminate May 1st as a holiday, declaring she does not want holidays removed, suggesting that if a perceived urgent need exists, the Union might consider implementing changes first in Bavaria.
In contrast, she welcomed the demand from CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann to suspend mandatory reporting duties for companies. She agreed that ongoing efforts are needed to reduce bureaucracy for both businesses and citizens, arguing that many obligations inherited from the analog era are unnecessary in the digital age, advocating for a significant streamlining of reporting requirements.