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Bremen: Alarming figures on unpaid overtime in the hospitality industry!
In Bremen, over 10 million hours of overtime were worked in 2024. Unions warn about unpaid hours and a shortage of skilled workers.
Bremen: Alarming figures on unpaid overtime in the hospitality industry!
In the city state of Bremen, the issue of overtime and working conditions for employees is playing an increasingly urgent role. The current situation is strongly illuminated by a report from the “Working Time Monitor” of the NGG union, which shows that a total of 10.3 million overtime hours were worked in Bremen in 2024, while 1.5 million overtime hours were added in Bremerhaven. What is particularly alarming is the fact that around half of this overtime in the catering industry remains unpaid, as butenunbinnen.de reports.
Thorsten Lieder, managing director of the Bremer Gastro Association, contradicts the NGG's information and claims that overtime is usually compensated with free time or pay. But he cites the lack of staff as the main reason for the high number of overtime hours, which could potentially lead to employees leaving. This concern is shared by the NGG Weser-Elbe, which warns of an increasing amount of overtime, especially as a result of the federal government's plans to abolish the 8-hour day. Björn Bauer from the NGG raises concerns that employers may try to exploit these changes, leading to overloaded working weeks.
Overtime in Germany – A big problem
The problem with unpaid overtime not only affects Bremen, but also extends throughout Germany. According to a study, around 638 million unpaid overtime hours are expected in 2024. The DGB Good Work Index also shows alarming figures: over half of all overtime remains unpaid, which corresponds to a total annual volume of overtime of around 1.2 billion hours. This corresponds to over 750,000 full-time jobs in Germany, as arbeits-abc.de shows.
Another aspect is the health burden on employees. Declining satisfaction with work-life balance is becoming more and more common. 10.1% of full-time employees work over 48 hours per week, which is considered dangerous to their health. The consequences include sleep disorders and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Skilled labor shortage as a driving force
A key reason for the high number of overtime hours is the shortage of skilled workers, particularly in the catering industry. Around 10 million people in Germany earn 14 euros or less per hour, which further reduces the attractiveness of the sector. The NGG is therefore calling for a Federal Tariff Compliance Act to ensure fair pay, as ngg.net reports. At the trade union conference in Bremen, which took place from November 13th to 17th, 2023, under the leadership of NGG chairman Guido Zeitler, over 110 applications were discussed, at which improving conditions in the food industry and catering industry were also discussed.
The current developments and figures show that there is an urgent need for action here. More and more employers are having to face the challenges of a changing world of work in order to both ensure employee satisfaction and combat the shortage of skilled workers in the industry.