Chancellor puts his foot down

Nehammer on 41-hour week: “Don’t fix it!”

Edtstadler and Nehammer expressed very different views on the subject.(Bild: APA/VOLKSPARTEI/JAKOB GLASER)

Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) has intervened in the debate about the 41-hour week. He does not intend to comply with the request of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) to extend the standard working week. The ÖVP, of all parties, has recently caused confusion on this controversial issue.

Following discussions about an extension of standard working hours, Nehammer made his position clear: "An extension of the statutory standard working hours is out of the question for me. I also think a 32-hour week is completely the wrong way to go." The issue of working hours is a matter for the social partners and should remain so.

Edtstadler and Nehammer(Bild: APA/VOLKSPARTEI/JAKOB GLASER)

The Federal Chancellor has formulated his demands in his Austria Plan: "My Austria Plan provides for tax-free overtime and a full-time bonus and definitely no change to standard working hours."

Confusion over Edtstadler's statement
The People's Party, of all parties, had recently contributed to the confusion. At a press conference on Tuesday, Constitutional and European Affairs Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) expressed her openness to the industry's desire to extend working hours to 41 hours a week. "If we want to maintain our prosperity, we have to work more than less," she said.

"Left-wing dreams" of a reduction in working hours "will not work out". "More rather than less will be necessary," said Edtstadler in the House of Industry.

In the afternoon, the Minister's office clarified that it was not about increasing the standard working hours for full-time employees, but rather about getting more people into work who currently do not have a full-time job.

Industry followed up
Your host from the morning stated in a press release on Tuesday: "In view of the worsening shortage of labor and skilled workers as well as the rising costs for the welfare state, it is appropriate to think about increasing the volume of work," said the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV). It points to the example of Switzerland, where the average actual working week for full-time employees is 42.7 hours.

Countless public holidays

Christoph Neumayer

Bild: APA/HANS KLAUS TECHT

According to IV Secretary General Christoph Neumayer, the "vast number of public holidays" in Austria must also be tackled as a problem issue. Edtstadler also said that the "high wage settlements" in Austria were a challenge. It is important not to burden the economy any further.