On Wednesday, MPs in the Chamber of Deputies held an orientation debate on the future organisation of working time, at the government's request. While all parties agreed that working time arrangements should be adapted to the modern working world, their specific proposals diverged on several points.
Minister of Labour Marc Spautz reiterated the government's commitment to the 40-hour work week, while noting that it is already possible to negotiate fewer hours through collective agreements. In the autumn, the minister plans to discuss the organisation of working time with the social partners.
Democratic Party (DP) MP Carole Hartmann outlined concrete avenues for modernising labour law. She suggested that breaks could be regulated differently – currently, only one unpaid break per day is permitted, which does not allow for arrangements such as working from home in the morning and travelling to the workplace later, as the lunch break would then have to be paid. The DP also advocates for greater flexibility in weekly hours, such as working four ten-hour days instead of five eight-hour days.
The Christian Social People's Party (CSV) drew criticism from both the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP) and the Left Party (Déi Lénk) with a statement from MP Charel Weiler, who argued that the goal should not be to work more or less, but to work in a better-organised manner.
LSAP MP Georges Engel, a former Labour Minister, described this stance as conservative and not progressive. "If people had always thought like this, we would still be working 50 hours today and have no paid annual leave", Engel remarked, stressing the need to think further ahead. Left Party MP Marc Baum also took issue with Weiler's statement, criticising the CSV's ideas as somewhat backward and far removed from Christian-social ideals.
The LSAP continues to advocate for a 38-hour work week. The Left Party is also in favour of a reduction in working hours. The Green Party (Déi Gréng), however, considers a general reduction unrealistic, though it sees room for sector – or company-specific adjustments through collective agreements. Pirate Party MP Sven Clement also raised the possibility of reduced working hours and a four-day week, proposing that the government run a pilot project.
Alternative Democratic Reform Party (ADR) MP Michel Lemaire spoke in favour of maintaining the 40-hour week and protecting employees. In the current tense economic climate, Lemaire argued, it would not be appropriate to reinvent labour law and divide the social partners.
Minister Spautz, who listened to the full debate, concluded on Wednesday that the discussion had fulfilled its purpose. As previously announced, the minister plans to hold talks with trade unions and employers on the organisation of working time in the autumn, at the start of the new term. Spautz reiterated the government's commitment to the 40-hour week, while pointing out that it is already possible to negotiate fewer hours through collective agreements.
The CSV Labour Minister also expressed a desire for greater legal certainty regarding collective agreements. Spautz stated that what is written in a collective agreement should have legal force, which would in turn strengthen such agreements – and he wants to see more of them. He stressed the importance of reaching the 80% target envisaged by the EU directive.
Spautz also noted that, in the context of the new law on opening hours, more than 40 collective agreements had been concluded at petrol stations, covering around 2,000 people.
