Largest German union drops four-day week demands amid economic slump
Germany's largest trade union is dropping demands for a four-day week due to the country's economic struggles.
"A four-day week with full wages is not currently on the union's list of demands," said Christiane Benner, chairwoman of IG Metall, on Tuesday.
Benner told the Bild tabloid that the policy remains sensible.
However, due to Germany's languishing economy, workers are currently facing a reduction in working hours due to employers' cost-cutting measures, she argued.
Many German businesses oppose proposals to introduce a four-day week with full pay.
In a March survey by the pro-business German Economic Institute, 94% of 823 companies survey said the move would hurt value creation.
In addition, almost 70% said they believed that work would go undone and that Germany would be left behind compared to international competitors.
IG Metall has emphasized that German companies must take responsibility to ensure their business models are viable in the future, to invest and to secure jobs.
"We recognize the seriousness of the situation. But we also see that many companies lack strategies for the future and are not making the necessary investments," Benner said.
Germany's economy - Europe's largest - has been in recession for two consecutive years, and experts expect the struggles to continue in 2025.
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