IV‑ Rulemaking‑ Collective Bargaining
•Bargaining Issues
•Issues of general wage levels, vacation pay, bonuses and job evaluation systems
•Hours of work
–Began to implement 35 hour week in 1993
–6 weeks vacation and 10 holidays
–Annual hours shortest in course, about 1400
–Employers now trying to negotiate this back up toward 40
Bargaining Issues
Issues circumscribed by government at top and works councils below

Hours of work
Major issue since late 70s
Has provoked the most strikes
Germans shortest work year in course, 25% less than 1960

Began to implement 35 hour week in 1993
In most agreements has to average 35 hours over fairly long time period, sometimes a year
Average work week 1.5 hours longer in the east than the west (37.4 versus 39)

Employers now trying to negotiate this back up toward 40
Siemens and Daimler-Chrysler in 2004
Unions accepting some of this in return for promises not to move jobs overseas