Care workers get 35-hour week with no loss of pay

Germany

Services union ver.di has negotiated a collective agreement with the AWO non-profit care provider in Augsburg in Bavaria that includes a 35-hour week without loss of pay for nurses and other workers in the social and educational services provided by the organisation. The union sees this as setting an important example for the rest of the care sector. AWO said it wanted to work with the union to provide concrete solutions to address stressful work and to make care jobs more attractive by improving working conditions. The collective agreement provides for a two-hour reduction in weekly working hours for care staff with full wage compensation from 1 September 2022 and 2023. For pedagogical staff the cuts will be in two steps from 1 January 2023. By the end of 2024, the 35-hour week will also apply to all educators in day-care centres and all pedagogical staff in the homes or counselling centres. Existing employees will have the option of a pay rise instead of the hours reduction. AWO employs around 1000 workers.

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