Suchergebnisse

Der Autor diskutiert verschiedene Formen der Arbeitszeitverkürzung (job sharing, early retirement) als Mittel zur Entlastung des Arbeitsmarktes.

The article presents an analysis of the provisions of Directives 93/104/EC and 2003/88 and of the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which supports the conclusion that the characteristic features of working time must be cumulatively met so that a time frame falls within this category. Next, the importance and consequences of this requirement are outlined regarding the process of delimiting working time from rest time. ; JEL Classification: K24, K31, K22, D16, E24, F16, F66, J01, J41, J42, J44, J46, J53, J81, J83

In Great Britain collective agreements have never had a great deal of significance in relation to actual working time, but in the 1980s and 1990s their significance declined even further. Meanwhile, however, real and fundamental changes have been taking place at the level where working time is actually regulated in practice, where trade unions exert direct control over working time in companies and in the workplace. The current mixture of traditional and innovative working time arrangements is giving rise to a wide range of working time patterns with a high incidence of unsocial working hours. This leads to a polarisation between the working times of men and of women, a phenomenon which is coming up against growing criticism in British society.

The chronically high levels of unemployment in Finland have led to an increased search for ways of reducing working time. This contribution presents various models of working time reduction including forms of voluntary working time reduction, job rotation models, sabbaticals, etc. Of particular interest also are experiments with the two-shift 6-hour model which combine shorter individual working hours with longer periods of plant operation. Such experiments have in some cases received public subsidies.

Working time has always been a source of conflict in industrial relations. Working time has been viewed as a policy tool to save jobs, to create jobs, to balance work and private life, and to enhance the competitiveness of firms. This article draws upon the SMALL research project to assess the extent to which we can observe differences between SMEs and larger organisations with regard to working time and whether the presence or absence of unions makes any difference for employees. It suggests that there is an inverse relationship between the size of the company and average working hours. The informality which characterises employment relations means that working time in SMEs can be flexible. This may offer opportunities for workers to achieve some work-life balance; at the same time it may also mean that they are obliged to work longer and less social hours.

The current debate on work‐sharing and shorter working hours is still largely conducted in terms of changes to men's working hours. 'The old pattern of the 8‐hour day, 5‐day week, from 16–65 can no longer be taken for granted', cry the pundits — but it has never been the norm for half the population. In Britain, France, the USA and Scandinavian countries women are now over 40 per cent of the labour force. Why, then, is so much time and energy spent researching and searching for 'new patterns of work' when a range of these already exist in women's working lives?

The article presents an analysis of the provisions of Directives 93/104/EC and 2003/88 and of the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union, which supports the conclusion that the characteristic features of working time must be cumulatively met so that a time frame falls within this category. Next, the importance and consequences of this requirement are outlined regarding the process of delimiting working time from rest time.