A subject of an electoral campaign a little over a year ago at the time of the legislative elections, the idea of a reduction in working hours fizzled out in Luxembourg. That of flexibility, on the other hand, is more relevant than ever, almost five years after the start of the Covid period, which has largely redistributed the cards in this area.
“Society has changed, the means have changed and Luxembourg is a modern State,” insisted Prime Minister Luc Frieden recently when opening the debate on the reorganization of working time. An announcement which is not a surprise, quite the contrary. The chapter related to work in the coalition program thus opens with the necessary “adaptation of the legal framework (…) with the objective of creating a new balance between private and professional life”.
A philosophy which corresponds to the liberal vision of employers’ organizations, in favor of “working better” instead of “working less”. However, these considerations will undoubtedly come up against opposition from the unions, when it comes to precisely establishing the contours of these new rules. The government’s desire to generalize Sunday work in commerce has already caused some turbulence for the Minister of Labor, Georges Mischo.
Likewise, the wishes of actors in the world of work can face divergent interests. Ardently desired by employees in certain branches in the service sector, teleworking must be done in a balanced manner and result from an agreement between employer and employee, specifies the coalition program. The idea most popular with workers, the four-day week also faces certain imperatives.
Illustration in the banking sector, the leading provider of jobs in Luxembourg: “It is very interesting, but the proposal was quickly rejected in the discussions for the new collective agreement. Too many employees work overtime and days of more than ten hours are prohibited,” explains Jean-Jacques Rieff, vice-president of ALEBA. Conversely, several companies have succeeded in implementing it in the craft sector.
A significant portion of business leaders nonetheless remain doubtful. According to a study published last year on the jobs.lu site, more than half of managers do not believe in this mode of operation. Instead, employers’ organizations are calling for an adaptation of working hours to the company’s activity over the year: working hard during major deadlines and having more rest during off-peak periods.
An idea that pleases the DP and the CSV, but which will not fail to arouse criticism. “There are a lot of ideas in the government, but it is still very vague,” slips Jean-Jacques Rieff. The coming months should allow us to see things more clearly.
