On Wednesday 6 December, the heads of the two political parties that will form Austria’s next government – Sebastian Kurz of the conservatives (ÖVP) and Hans-Christian Strache of the right-wing populist party (FPÖ) – announced an agreement that will allow companies to increase the length of the working day to 12 hours. Such changes, which can only be implemented following negotiations, would allow for a 60-hour working week. With working time flexibility having represented a bone of contention in talks with social partners, this latest announcement has provoked the ire of trade unions.
Twelve-hour days. While the conservative ÖVP and right-wing populist FPÖ are still in talks over the programme they will adopt in government, which is set to be presented in the coming days, a number of measures have already been announced. One of these is a straightforward measure allowing companies in Austria to extend the working day to 12 hours. If it is implemented, companies will have the right to negotiate with a works council to increase the number of hours, or introduce a time corridor
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