The Belgian government recently announced that it would introduce the option for employees to switch to a 4-day working week if they are willing to work ten hours a day instead of eight.

Luxembourg's Minister of Labour Georges Engel has a rather critical view of the Belgian proposal. Engel stated that he would instead prefer a general reduction of working hours, spread over the entire working week.

Speaking to our colleagues from RTL.lu, the Minister argued that 10-hour days would represent a "safety risk" in some sectors. Engel also thinks that it is "questionable" that the Belgian model was not drafted through social dialogue.

The Independent Luxembourg Trade Union Confederation (OGBL) is also sceptical and campaigns instead for a reduction of working hours with full wage compensation. The OGBL is also not convinced that the Belgian model would lead to a better work-life balance. On the contrary, the trade union argues, it is more likely to lead to a worse work-life balance.