Germany: metallurgy sector companies are struggling with complex working time options

The Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW) that is financed by the Gesamtmetall employers’ confederation has surveyed almost 800 companies to determine how well new labor options have been applied, including the T-ZUG ‘optional model’, and the ‘reduced full time’ employees option, as per the 2017/2018 metallurgy agreement on working time, in addition to flexible work and  augmented working time option proposals for companies. The IW research report shows particularly mixed results especially as the industry faces into the dawn of a new crisis.
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Two options for employees with a counterbalance for companies. At the start of 2018, social partners for the metallurgy industry agrees on a collective agreement that offered a 4.3% salary increase as well as a new provision for flexible working time (c.f. article No. 10551). In broad terms, the agreement offered three options.

  • Reduced’ full time work. Since 2019 all full-time employees with at least two years career length have had the right to lower their working time to a floor level...
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