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Time over money? Germany’s largest union defends 28-hour week

Tens of thousands of German workers downed tools this week as the country's largest union ramped up its battle for the right to a 28-hour week.

Published: 11 January 2018 09:00 CET

Time over money? Germany's largest union defends 28-hour week

Employees during a warning strike in Brandenburg on Wednesday. Photo: DPA

As union leaders and employers return to the negotiating table Thursday, here's what you need to know about IG Metall's groundbreaking campaign to rethink the work-life balance – and what it could mean for the rest of the country.

What do they want?

IG Metall represents some 3.9 million workers in Germany's crucial metal and electrical engineering industries.

As in past industry-wide negotiations with employers, it is pushing for a wage hike – this time seeking a whopping six-percent increase.

But most striking in the current showdown has an emphasis on giving employees the freedom to tailor their work hours to their personal lives.

The union wants all workers to have the option of switching from a 35- to a 28-hour week for a two-year period, with a guaranteed return to full-time work afterwards.

In certain cases – and this has been the most headline-grabbing demand – the union says employers should make up some of the salary loss that would result from clocking up fewer hours.

It wants those caring for young children or elderly relatives, for example, to receive an extra €200 a month.

And shift workers or others whose working hours can weigh on health should be entitled to an additional €750 annually, it says.

What are the arguments for a shorter week?

IG Metall says flexible working time has so far mainly benefited employers who got staff to put in longer days.

But with Europe's top economy humming and unemployment at a record-low, it believes the time is right for a radical shake-up.

“Workers aren't only workers, they have personal lives, children, old parents,” Berlin IG Metall chief Olivier Hoebel told strikers at a demonstration on Monday. “Working life can't only be about sacrifice.”

IG Metall believes its proposals would especially benefit women, large numbers of whom work part-time for family reasons and currently don't have an automatic way back to full-time employment when their situation changes.

How have employers reacted?

With a firm 'no'.

The Gesamtmetall employers' federation has predictably balked at the suggestion of paying staff extra to work less.

It has dismissed the proposals as “too costly” and “unfair” to those already in part-time work under less generous conditions.

It says introducing the compensation measure would be discriminatory and open companies up to legal action.

After two rounds of negotiations, employers have so far offered a two-percent wage increase, but no progress has been made on the 28-hour issue.

What would the impact be?

Where IG Metall goes, others tend to follow.

Europe's largest trade union was instrumental in pushing through a 35-hour working week in the 1990s, and employers across Germany are closely watching to see if the next labour revolution is around the corner.

Already the call for a shorter week has triggered heated debate about quality of life and the future of work in a world where jobs are increasingly automated.

Supporters have praised the union's proposals as “very modern” and said they could help firms hang on to their best and brightest.

But critics have countered that a reduced week could exacerbate a shortage of skilled workers, while smaller firms in particular might struggle to meet production targets.

“If it would be replicated throughout the economy, it could do serious damage,” said Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg bank .

Gesamtmetall estimates that some 1.5 million workers would be eligible for the proposed compensation if they chose the 28-hour route. IG Metall however believes the actual take-up would be far lower.

Where to go from here?

A third round of talks starts Thursday, but there's little hope of a breakthrough.

IG Metall raised the stakes this week, with tens of thousands of workers launching hours-long “warning strikes” at dozens of firms including Volkswagen, BMW and Siemens.

It has vowed to call day-long walkouts if the standoff continues and even threatened to stage the union's first nationwide, open-ended strike since 2003.

“If on Thursday we still can't see a willingness to seriously talk about these issues, the situation will escalate,” IG Metall chief for southwestern Germany, Roman Zitzelsberger, told the Handelsblatt financial daily.

The best-paid jobs you can get without a university degree in Germany

One of the reasons so many people decide to move to Germany is to take advantage of the healthy jobs market and decent salaries. In 2024, the average worker in the Bundesrepublik was taking home €51,900 per year before tax, and in many sectors the average is even higher.

But if you don’t have a university degree or professional qualification, you may feel like you’re limited to jobs at the bottom of the ladder and doomed to take a lower salary than you’re worth.

But there are plenty of fields with high earning potential that have relatively low barriers to entry. Which is good news for many, considering that the number of school drop-outs is rising in Germany.

Here are some of the best-paid jobs you can find in Germany that don’t require endless years of studying or training.

Real estate agent

If you think you can sell anything to anyone and love the idea of closing big deals, becoming a real estate agent – or realtor in American English – could be the way to go.

This varied job involves advising and supporting your clients in their search for a dream property, hosting viewings, creating advertising materials and contracts and ensuring all the relevant transactions go through. It’s ideal for anyone with good attention to detail and warm, sociable personality.

A miniature house with new house keys.

A miniature house with new house keys. Photo by Tierra Mallorca on Unsplash

There’s no special training or qualification required to become a real estate agent, but in Germany you do need to apply for a licence known as a Maklererlaubnis to start practising.

Once you get going, you can earn between three and seven percent commission on the sale price of each property you sell. Of course, you final salary will depend on your success rate and the property market in your area, but Stufyflix puts the average at around €3,930 per month.

U-Bahn or tram driver

Though you may not notice them most days, public transport drivers keep life moving in German cities – and they tend to be pretty well remunerated as well.

Generally, you’ll be responsible for working shifts driving trams or U-Bahns around the city, helping people get from A to B and responding appropriately in the case of an emergency.

A big advantage of moving into this profession is that you generally only need around B1 or B2 German: it’s more important to hold a driving licence and show a willingness to learn.

Another great thing to note is that these jobs are heavily unionised. Many tram and bus drivers will tell you that it’s no easy job, but at least you’ve got a union fighting to improve your pay and conditions.

For people looking to change careers, the good news is that the initial training only lasts around six months, and you’ll earn a liveable salary between €2,100 and €2,800 during this period.

After that, salaries depend on location but tend to average around €40,000 per year, with bonuses for working nights, weekends and public holidays.

Software developer

With average salaries around €5,800 per month, the IT sector is one of the most lucrative fields in the German job market.

The best part is, you don’t need a degree in computer science to get a job as a programmer in today’s market. In fact, many start-ups are happy to offer jobs – with generous starting salaries – to self-taught programmers or people who have graduated three-month bootcamps.

If you’re currently unemployed, many of these fast-track courses are paid for by the job centre, so you can learn to be a software developer completely for free. Otherwise, there are plenty of online courses you can take on websites like Udemy or books you can buy to learn languages like C+, Python and Ruby at next to no expense whatsoever.

Carpenter

Though carpenters do generally need one or two years of training, the great thing about this type of hands-on field is that you can enter as an apprentice and get paid to work while you train.

There are several different types of carpentry, from building shelving units for industrial buildings to erecting the bare bones of a residential property.

A carpenter sands down a block of wood in Cologne. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Federico Gambarini

Asking friends and colleagues to recommend a trustworthy builder is a good option. (Photo by Nasim ISAMOV / AFP)

If you’re good with your hands, love being physical active and overcoming technical challenges, carpentry could be a great career for you – and the money’s nothing to sniff at either.

Once qualified, the average carpenter in Germany earns around €43,700 per year, but this can rise to as much as €52,000. And with Germany battling a severe shortages of skilled carpenters, salaries are bound to keep rising in the coming years.

Administrative assistant

If you’re someone who likes to stay organised and presentable, then moving into a career as an administrative assistant could be the ideal move for you.

Though the specifics of the job depend on the company, most administrative assistants spend their days making sure everything in the office ticks over as it should, answering the phone, distributing memos, organising appointments, preparing reports and carrying out other important administrative tasks. In Germany, of course, you may also need to be proficient in the use of a fax machine.

Though there’s no formal qualifications or training required to become an admin assistant, you’ll need to show you have the qualities and skills required, including good organisation, excellent communication skills, the ability to multitask and strong attention to detail.

According to jobs portal WorkerHero, administrative assistants earn an average of €41,730 per year in Germany, but if you end up as a personal assistant to a high-powered corporate executive, the pay can go much higher.

Bank clerk

If you’ve got a good head for numbers and enjoy offering advice and assistance, transitioning into banking could be a sensible – and lucrative – career move.

Generally, you’ll need to do a traineeship with a bank to break into this field, but no degree is required – and once in there are good chances for progression.

Interestingly, the banking sector is one area of the economy where skilled workers are desperately needed, so get your foot in the door now and you’ll be in a great position to negotiate salaries later.

A sign for Postbank, one of the major banks in Germany.

A sign for Postbank, one of the major banks in Germany. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Marijan Murat

According to job search portal Indeed, the average bank clerk in Germany earns a very respectable €45,500 per year, but that can go up depending on the bank you work for and your specialisms.

If you work your way up the ladder, the pay goes up incredibly quickly, with some bank managers earning as much as €75,000 per year.

Events planner

Though events planning is no easy ride, it can be a huge buzz for people who thrive under pressure and enjoy the satisfaction of pulling off a dream wedding or a major corporate event.

People with impeccable organisation skills, a sociable attitude and naturally elegant taste will find themselves well-suited to this career, and the best part is that no formal qualifications are needed – though taking a short course could help you learn the ropes faster.

Once you’re underway and working with clients, the sky’s the limit to how much you can earn: some of the best paid wedding and events planners earn as much as €100,000 per year.

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