We Work Europe

Reducing working hours is a phenomenon that started in the 20th century. The third and final episode of this mini-series focuses on science. At the University of Münster, Germany, Julia Backmann and her team research the impact of the four-day-work week. She has conducted an experiment with dozens of organizations that have reduced working hours. Her results are in favor of this model and in line with studies all around the world. Reducing working hours may be a challenge at first, but not only workers but also employers can benefit from it.

For Giorgos Valasis a regular work week consists of 6 days. After his shift as a bus driver in Athens he finds himself constantly exhausted. He’s frightened by the fact that his government passed a law to enable 13 hours per day. While Giorgios and a lot of his working colleges take this fight into the streets of Athens to prevent the liberalisation of working hours, a German CEO changed his company to four-day-working-week. In this second episode, Carsten Graf tells his story of how he has changed the structure of his business and what has changed since then.

Questioning working time has always been a big issue for both workers and employers. In a three-part series of We Work Europe, we take a closer look at different models. The first episode follows the Greek government’s attempt to increase working time. It’s purpose is to fight the shortage of skilled workforce as well as undeclared work. Deputy minister of labour and social security, Konstantinos Karagkounis, explains how changed legislation might bring new opportunities to its country. On the other hand there is Antonis Karras, president of one of Greece’s largest trade unions DAKE, an EZA member. He believes new...

What happens when you wait 25 years for EU membership – and are still told you’re not ready? In this episode, we look at Bosnia and Herzegovina, where hopes for accession remain high but frustrations are growing.
We hear from politicians and experts about stalled reforms, mass emigration, and the risk of losing the country’s future to other powers. Can Bosnia still find its place in the European Union – and what lessons can be drawn from past enlargements?