Porsche Leipzig paves the way: 35-hour week for Saxony!

The Porsche Leipzig GmbH introduced the 35-hour week on January 1, 2025. This makes the company the first automobile plant in eastern Germany to implement this working time regulation. The alignment of working hours brings with it full wage compensation and represents an important economic and social success according to German reunification. IG Metall, which advocates the social unity of living and working conditions

Despite these progress, there are still differences in working hours and fees between East and West Germany. In the past, this often had to be worked for the same work and the same fee. Employers have spoken out against an alignment for decades. According to a recent survey, over 60 % of IG Metall members in tariff-bound companies in the last tariff round of the metal and electrical industry have achieved a reduction in working hours from 38 to 35 hours a week, such as ig "> Metal reported.

The negotiations and the way to the 35-hour week

The introduction of the 35-hour week in Leipzig was the result of intensive negotiations and several industrial action. The works council under the direction of Knut Lofski had previously negotiated a company agreement that was implemented in two stages. The first stage provided for a lowering of working hours to 36.5 hours a week on January 1, 2022, followed by the reduction to 35 hours this year.

As early as the 2010s, there were debates on aligning working hours, and IG Metall had launched a fight for the reduction in working hours in 1984. The 35-hour week was first anchored in the metal and electrical industry in 1994. To support the current process, IG Metall organizes a demonstration on March 15, 2025 in Leipzig and other cities from 12 noon to 2 p.m. to mobilize for solidarity and membership.