Mercedes-Benz supervisory board chairman Martin Brudermüller has called for a debate on more competitive labour costs in Germany, saying it was reasonable to ask people to work longer hours again, the business daily Handelsblatt reported on Monday.
"We should seriously pursue a return to the 40-hour working week," Brudermüller said.
The 35-hour working week is standard at collectively bargained companies in the German automotive industry - including Mercedes-Benz - though it is not required by law.
The next round of collective bargaining in the metals and electrical industry, which includes the automotive sector, is due later in the year.
Brudermüller: Germany too expensive
Labour had become too expensive in Germany by international standards, Brudermüller said. "We no longer have a productivity advantage over key competitors," he said.
"There are two levers: Either you cut salaries or people work longer for the same salary," said the former chief executive of chemicals group BASF. The former option was not reasonable in practice, he said.
Asked about longer working lives, Brudermüller said that given an ageing population, economic common sense dictated that the German system "cannot be financed without a longer working period."
Working longer also contributed to staying healthy and active in old age, he said. "Work also gives people structure, participation and meaning in life," he added.
Controversial working time reform
A planned reform of working time rules is also generating debate in Germany.
Employers are calling for more flexibility, while trade unions are rejecting the proposals.
The governing coalition of conservatives and Social Democrats has agreed to introduce the option of a weekly rather than a daily maximum working time into the Working Hours Act, in line with the European Working Time Directive.
Under current law, employees' daily working time may not exceed eight hours, though it can be extended to up to 10 hours under certain conditions.
After the end of the daily working period, employees must have an uninterrupted rest period of at least 11 hours, which can be reduced to 10 hours under certain conditions, for example in hospitals, transport companies or restaurants.
