The Chamber discussed the possibility of reducing working hours on Thursday, after Minister of Labour Georges Engel commissioned a study. However, the Chamber did not view the notion favourably.
Engel has previously criticised the decision by the Belgian government to introduce a 4-day working week, increasing daily hours from 8 to 10.
The LSAP’s main arguments in favour of a shorter working week are that digitalisation could increase productivity in general. However, the party supports Engel’s criticism and opposes increasing daily working hours in order to drop a day of work. Luxembourg’s neighbouring countries have already reduced the working week: Belgium has dropped the number of hours required to 38, while France has reduced them further to 35.
Engel said Luxembourg should therefore do more to follow its counterparts in terms of reducing the working week.
The Chamber of Commerce’s Carlo Thelen, in contrast, said this was not a valid argument as Luxembourg’s economic centre would lose out on the international stage in terms of competitiveness.
LSAP-Aarbechtsminister: Etüd iwwer den Impakt vun enger Verkierzung vun der Aarbechtszäit (28.4.22)
