ETUC note: Myths and facts about working longer hours in Europe

Brussels, 17/03/2005

This ETUC note is to provide:

•  correct information on what is really happening in some countries concerning longer working hours. The main conclusion to this is: ‘not much’. Aside from some isolated companies, there is no general tendency to switch to longer hours. And in those companies where longer working hours do get introduced, employers have to grant important tough concessions (for example: job guarantees);

•  analysis of what would be the overall impact on employment in Europe of a generalisation of longer working hours. Such a process can be compared to an inverse ‘procession of Echternach’. Working longer hours implies that more demand and production is needed, just to maintain existing employment. And for employment to increase, one would actually need even higher production growth. This section of the paper presents some national simulations (form the Dutch Planbureau and from German Citygroup) that cast serious doubt on the probabilities of securing or even increasing employment through longer working hours;

•  examples of alternative collective bargaining strategies. Trade unions and social partners have an important role to play in concluding collective agreements that, instead of blackmailing workers with the threat of delocalisation, help them to address structural change in a positive way Engaging workers in establishing a ‘high performance working place’, equipping workers with new skills, and helping them to find new jobs are more promising avenues than desperately hanging on to jobs that will anyway come under further pressure in future.

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