Germans want hours cut

A new survey from the DGB, Germany’s main union confederation, has found that more than half (53%) of employees would like to cut their hours.

The survey of more than 4,000 is in response to a call from the government to change working time legislation to make it easier to work more than eight hours a day.

However, the survey shows that among those already working more than 40 hours a week, 80% would like to have shorter hours. And where workers, particularly part-timers, do want to work longer, the main obstacle is often the employer.

As Yasmin Fahimi, the head of the DGB points out, getting rid of the eight-hour day “is the last thing workplaces need”.