OREANDA-NEWS. German Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, Hubertus Heil, expressed the opinion that reducing the working week to four days could be a suitable measure to help overcome the crisis.

Earlier, Jorg Hofmann, a head of the Industrial Union of Metalworkers, told during a conversation with the newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung that the four-day work week could be “a response to structural changes in sectors such as the automotive industry” and save jobs.

“We need good pragmatic ideas to get through the crisis together,” Heil said, commenting on this proposal. According to the politician, a reduction in the working hours with partial compensation payments may be a suitable measure. The Minister of Labour added that the main condition for the implementation of this innovation is the consent of social partners.