In recent years employers and trade unions have agreed on a number of measures to increase flexibility on the labour market with regard to working hours and wages. These include the working hours accounts introduced in many sectors of the economy. They make it possible to adjust the regular working hours more effectively to the needs of the business without payment of overtime bonuses.
Moreover, in many sectors it is possible to reduce or increase the weekly working hours within certain limits. There is now not only a greater degree of flexibility with regard to working hours, but also wages. Remuneration corridors in the chemical industry mean it is possible to lower employees’ earnings in an enterprise for a limited period to below the collectively negotiated rates.