As of: March 25, 2024, 2:44 p.m
By: Ulrike Hagen
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The four-day week to combat the shortage of skilled workers and the nursing shortage: In Berlin, the Left presented a four-step concept for shortening working hours.
Berlin - On Monday (March 25th), the Left presented an ambitious concept that envisages the introduction of a four-day week with full wage compensation.
According to the party's ideas, the public service should take on a pioneering role and small businesses should receive financial support.
This is the only way to counteract the dramatic shortage of skilled workers and nursing shortages.
During the GDL's collective bargaining with the railways, the Left had already called for a 30-hour week with full compensation.
At a press conference, Ates Gürpinar, federal managing director of the Left, presented the concept “In 4 steps to a 4-day week”.
(Archive image) © Imago/dts
“In 4 steps to a 4-day week”: Left presents concept for a four-day week with full wage compensation
At the press conference on Monday afternoon in Berlin, the Federal Managing Director of the Left, Ates Gürpinar, presented the concept “In 4 steps to a 4-day week”.
The Left also bases its demands on the alarming data from health insurance companies.
According to the AOK's absenteeism report, the number of sick days due to psychological stress is continuously increasing: "In comparison, mental illnesses, with an average of 29.6 days of incapacity for work per case, result in significantly longer days of absence than, for example, respiratory illnesses with only 7.1 days Average,” says the AOK.
According to the law, employers are actually obliged to regularly monitor the “mental stress” of their employees.
In fact, this is “hardly implemented and not monitored,” according to the Left.
It therefore provides for a new “anti-stress regulation” and a legal right to more flexible working hours, a so-called elective working hours law.
Anchored in it: working time models that are adapted to different life situations.
Fewer and fewer young people are finding nursing professions because word has gotten around about the lousy working conditions.
Ates Gürpinar, Federal Managing Director of The Left
Shortage of skilled workers and nursing shortage: Left calls for reduced working hours and flexible working hours
“Around 3,000,000 nursing staff could be available immediately if the employees had less stress,” said Gürpinar, citing figures from the Hans Böckler Foundation.
Under the given working conditions, however, one is stuck in a vicious circle: “The people who are employed are under ever greater stress.”
Those who are faced with a career choice, on the other hand, are increasingly less likely to choose – or even return to – sectors in which the emergency is particularly high: “Word has gotten around about the lousy working conditions.”
“Government must intervene”: four-day week with full wage compensation
“More than 80 percent of full-time employees support the four-day week in Germany.
However, many are afraid of losing wages.”
It is therefore clear that the reduction in working hours only works with full wage compensation, a demand that was previously made by IG Metall.
“The government must intervene and quickly reduce working hours with full wage compensation.
A gradual reduction to 32 hours per week is conceivable,” said Left Federal Managing Director Ates Gürpinar.
“This is the only way to break this vicious circle.”
The discussion about the 4-day week and the shortage of skilled workers is misguided by Lindner, Habeck and employer associations: Companies also have something to gain here.
Ates Gürpinar, Federal Managing Director of The Left
Public services should take on a pioneering role: the left calls for a four-day week
The party demands that the public sector take a leading role in the implementation of the four-day week: “A gradual reduction to 32 hours per week is conceivable.
This allows processes to be adapted to the existing work capacity and also gives those returning to work and part-time workers a reliable perspective.”
In this way, the government is creating a standard in the labor market “that private competition must also follow if it wants to attract new skilled workers.
“Gürpinar explained.
Especially in sectors with a shortage of skilled workers, a shortened working week with the same pay could significantly increase the attractiveness of jobs, argues Gürpinar.
“We’re not talking about a “nice-to-have” of Berlin start-ups, but rather the idea of a broad social redistribution of working time.”
“Incorrect discussion by Lindner, Habeck and Co.”: 4-day week as a win-win scenario
According to the left-wing politician, the discussion about the 4-day week and the shortage of skilled workers is being misled by Christian Lindner, Robert Habeck and employer associations, because there is also a lot to be gained for companies: “Lower medical costs, less fluctuation and therefore less loss of productivity missing, overworked or hastily trained staff”.
Especially in industries with a shortage of skilled workers, reduced working hours with the same wages could significantly increase the attractiveness of jobs.
Studies by the non-profit initiative “4 Day Week Global” have already shown that the four-day week is also better for employers because it leads to higher productivity – and can therefore increase the company’s sales.
The Left's concept: four-day week with full wage compensation
The Left also emphasizes the need for financial support for small businesses that cannot afford to switch to the four-day week due to low sales and profits.
“The transition to the four-day model can be made easier for them with the help of temporary wage subsidies,” the concept says.
A model project in Spain is cited as an example: There, the government is supporting companies with up to 250 employees to test out the 4-day week.
In addition to wages, costs for developing new working time models are also subsidized.
Four-day week pilot project: 50 companies have already reduced working hours – with full salaries
Working one day less with full salary – this idea is now being tested across the board.
In February of this year, a comprehensive pilot project was launched in Germany by 50 companies that are reducing working hours with full salaries.
The field trial will be able to provide information on the urgent question of whether it can actually alleviate the shortage of skilled workers.
It is obvious that a four-day week suits employees.