Press Release No. 67/2015 Hofmann Announces Working Hours Campaign and Commitment to Higher Collective Bargaining Coverage

Frankfurt am Main – “Secure, fair, and self-determined—that is our guiding principle for the future of work,” said Jörg Hofmann, President of IG Metall, on Wednesday before delegates at the union convention in Frankfurt. A radical modernization of the concept of work is necessary to address the consequences of digitalization, the diversity of life situations, and the increasing demands for flexibility.

Above all, with a new campaign on working hours, the union aims to reclaim both union and individual autonomy in managing time. “Every employee should have an enforceable right to temporarily adjust their working hours for childcare, caregiving, or professional development,” said Hofmann. Employees expect more rights to organize their working hours autonomously in their daily lives. This ranges from the right to remote work to shift scheduling within a team. Furthermore, it is scandalous that in many companies, working hours go unused—or aren’t even tracked. “We’re taking back that time—that will be the goal of our campaign.”

At the same time, it is a matter of justice that opportunities for secure employment with reliable incomes and career advancement must be open to everyone. This begins with “curbing the low-wage sector” and combating second-class employment relationships.

IG Metall’s second key priority is to strengthen collective bargaining coverage so that more workers can benefit from collective bargaining agreements. “Without stronger collective bargaining coverage, we can neither limit the spread of precarious employment nor shape the digital transformation of the workplace,” said Hofmann. He called for greater commitment to this goal. “We declare with confidence: The era of declining collective bargaining coverage is over!”

This is also in the interest of employers. “Employers recognize collective bargaining coverage as an attractive offering in an increasingly tight skilled labor market,” said the IG Metall chairman. There are therefore good prospects for reversing the negative trend of previous years. He also called on policymakers to strengthen the conditions for collective bargaining coverage.

Hofmann advocated for expanded co-determination rights and strong workers’ rights. “We need not less, but more co-determination—one that is adapted to the challenges of the future.” A changing world of work requires expanded co-determination rights, ranging from employee data protection to contracts for work.

Hofmann strongly advocated for a new vision for the economy and society—a “Welfare State 4.0.” In areas central to social cohesion, he argued, there should be no cutthroat competition among companies and no reckless dumping strategies. “Competition for innovation and quality is necessary—but the environment, climate, and working conditions must be removed from the realm of competition.”

Note to editors:
Further information can be found at: /vorstand/en/presse and https://igm-gewerkschaftstag-2015.de/
Additional photos and résumés of the executive board members can be found here: https://www.igmetall.de/geschaeftsfuehrende-vorstandsmitglieder-945.htm