Pressing for 35-hour work week

Press, 27 April 1984, Page 12

Pressing for 35-hour work week

By

Geoffrey Atkins,

Campaigns for a 35-hour week as the best means to reduce unemployment have found favour in a number of industrialised countries. West German unions are the most fervent promoters of the idea. The West German Metalworkers’ Trade Union — the biggest in Europe with 2.7 million members — has a large unemployment total, which still stands at 2.4 million, or 9.8 per cent, in spite of a booming economy. This month it pulled back from national strike action and agreed to hold more talks with employers on its demand. The main print union, Ig Druck und Papier, has disrupted newspaper production over the same issue and has announced selective strike ballots. The unions insist that the cuts in hours worked should be made without loss of pay.

Opinion polls have shown that because of the precarious jobs situation, many workers would be reluctant to strike for shorter working hours, even though they are supported by the opposition Social Democratic Party. The standard working week in West Germany is 40 hours, excluding meal breaks. The Government has introduced a subsidised scheme to combat unemployment by allowing workers to retire from the age of 58 with full pension, provided they are replaced by someone without a job. Several firms have tried to entice the unions by offering to let workers retire even earlier and suggesting more flexible working hours, while firmly rejecting the principle of a 35-hour week. Economists are divided over what lies behind the emotional stance taken by the German unions on the shorter hours issue. “They have suffered a number of setbacks in the last few difficult economic years by accepting pay

of Reuters in Bonn

raises that barely matched inflation." one industrial economist said. “Now they think they can reassert their authority by espousing the 35-hour week cause.” Another economist said the union’s demand was somewhat “simplistic." "Many workers are scared of losing their jobs and are quite frankly more interested in even a nominal pay raise rather than risk their livelihood for a doubtful cause,” he said. “If the industrial recovery continues, we have to face the fact that it is usually cheaper for an employer to introduce more overtime than take on a new worker.” In Belgium, too, the issue seems

to be a major factor in labour relations. To reduce the adverse effects of its tough, three-year austerity plan on employment, the Belgian Government will seek to impose a work share-out by shortening the working week and favouring week-end work. Belgium has an unemployment rate of 12.3 per cent and, under union pressure, talks on cutting the work week will be held next month instead of October as originally planned. The largest union, the FGTB, has called for a 38-hour week by 1985 and a timetable for an eventual 35-hour week, with no cut in wages. Employers oppose any general reductions which would increase wage costs. Belgian law sets the maximum

working week at 40 hours, excluding meal breaks, but union officials say the average is 38 hours In Britain, where 12.5 per cent of workers are without jobs, the 35-hour week is not expected to become a major issue before next year, although it has been adopted as a priority by the 10 millionstrong Trades Union Congress. The basic British working week was reduced to 39 from 40 hours in 1979. excluding meal breaks. British employers share the view of their West’German colleagues that the increased cost of a shorter working week would actually destroy jobs. The West German Chancellor. Dr Helmut Kohl, has called the idea "stupid" and the Economics Minister. Dr Otto Count Lambs-

dorff. has warned that it would destroy the competitiveness of ex-port-oriented German industry. “It would mean more jobs all right — for the Japanese and Koreans." remarked one industrialist. However, a number of British firms have made separate deals with the unions to reduce working hours and some employees now work as few as 32 l z hours a week. In France with 2.5 million jobless. the 35-hour week is hardly front page news despite statistical evidence that a reduction in the working week to 39 from 40 hours in 1981 created thousands of new jobs. The 39-hour week generally includes meal breaks, but conditions depend on individual employers.