Protests Erupt in Southern Germany as Coalition Wrangles Over Working Hours and Job Protections
Published on 07/13/2026 at 08:23 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
More than 1,000 demonstrators took to the streets in Karlsruhe and Ulm over the weekend, voicing anger at the black-red coalition’s reform plans for pensions, long-term care, and employment law. In Karlsruhe police counted roughly 1,300 participants by Saturday afternoon, while in Ulm attendance swelled to 1,400 according to authorities — organisers put the figure closer to 2,000. Ver.di state boss Schollenberger vowed that unions would keep fighting to preserve the eight-hour day, a central demand of the protests.
At the same time, Federal Labour Minister Bärbel Bas faces mounting pressure from both employers and her own coalition partners to loosen Germany’s working-time rules. Despite calls for greater flexibility, Bas has insisted the statutory eight-hour day stays. A current draft bill from her ministry would, however, allow exceptions of up to 13 hours per day — but only if collective-bargaining agreements regulate it, health protections are guaranteed, and working time is recorded electronically.
Employer representatives are pushing back hard. BDA president Dulger demanded the draft be withdrawn entirely, while his deputy Kampeter called for a more fundamental overhaul of the Working Time Act and a concrete plan for long-term pension solvency. On the other side, the centre-right Union is urging a shift towards longer hours. Saxony’s state premier Michael Kretschmer argued that the 35-hour week is outdated and proposed that employees work several extra hours each week for the next five years without additional pay. He also warned that long-term care costs would overwhelm local authorities and called for a recalibration of climate targets.
CSU leader Markus Söder added his voice, opposing any abolition of mini-jobs — warning it would hit the hospitality, retail and farming sectors. Instead he advocated scrapping the pension for workers who retire at 63 and introducing a funded private pillar. Business associations have backed the retention of mini-jobs and sent a formal letter to the labour ministry.
The coalition is also planning changes to dismissal protection. From 2027, high earners with monthly gross salaries of around €15,000 — roughly 0.27 percent of all employees — would face a simplified dismissal process with a severance payment. Critics fear such a salary threshold could stifle wage growth. The same draft proposes extending fixed-term contracts without cause to up to 48 months.
A further flashpoint is the planned introduction of a mandatory doctor’s note from the first day of illness, replacing the common practice of only requiring a certificate from day four. Reactions are split: Airbus supports the move, while companies like Audi and Kuka are sticking to existing rules. Ver.di rejects both the loosening of dismissal rules and the tighter sick-note requirements.
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