OGBL has criticised the Sunday working law

Daria Nepriakhina 🇺🇦, Unsplash

Labour Minister Georges Mischo's decision to reform the law on work on Sunday sparked a wave of protests from unions and workers. The innovation, supported by the Chamber of Commerce, removes existing limits on working hours and abolishes mandatory employee approvals, giving employers more power but reducing protections for workers.

At the moment, Sunday work in Luxembourg is strictly regulated: only 4 hours of work are allowed, and full-time work is only possible in exceptional cases agreed with the employee. This practice has been further protected by collective agreements providing compensation and trade union control.

Unions have already tried to solve the problem through negotiations by proposing to increase the maximum working hours on Sunday to 8 hours, subject to fringe benefits and employee consent. However, the new bill completely eliminates this possibility. Employees could be obliged to work full-time on Sunday without their consent.

Criticism of the initiative

Social impact

The minister is positioning the changes as a move to improve work-life balance, but the reality is that many workers, especially those with children, will find themselves in a difficult situation.

A blow to the unions

The innovation undermines trade union efforts to improve working conditions and reduces the level of coverage by collective agreements, which is already low (38% in 2018).

Empowering employers

The reform is thought to be preparing the ground for further increases in opening hours and liberalisation of shop opening times.

The OGBL and LCGB, Luxembourg's largest trade unions, have already united against the government's proposals. They warn that the initiative could set a precedent for further deterioration of labour conditions in other sectors.

The irony of the situation is that the government, which the unions say presents itself as the defender of family values, is simultaneously undermining them by making Sundays a working day. Much now depends on the willingness of workers and unions to mobilise to defend their rights.

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