After decades of decline in the hours worked by continental Europeans, many workers and governments are starting to accept that longer working weeks may be needed to either protect jobs or raise incomes.
With regional demographics flashing warning lights about the impact of falling working populations over the next 10 years, trends in working time are now seen as critical to the euro zone economy's potential as globalisation intensifies.
Following is collection of stories on what has been happening on this front in recent weeks -- including the latest news, views and analyses. Click on the story number to retrieve headline and click again on the headline for the full story.
(** indicates the latest addition to the series) ---------------------------------------------------------- TOP NEWS STORIES > **Daimler,ThomasCook workers agree longer hours [ID:nL23582503] > **Schroeder lauds Daimler union deal [ID:nL23647891] > **DaimlerChrysler board to take 10 pct pay cut [ID:nFAB005066] OVERVIEWS > Europe looks set to clock in more hours [ID:nL12559941] > Pressure mounts on Germans to work longer [ID:nL11652609] > Factbox-Working hours in the EU-15 countries [ID:nL16320048] > European carmakers swap machines for men in east[ID:nL04442790] GERMANY > **Thomas Cook reaches accord on staff, hours [ID:nL23122861] > **DaimlerChrysler staff agree cuts to save jobs [ID:nL23219381] > **E. Germans say insulted by Schroeder reforms [ID:nL22318126] > German SPD head attacks firms over hours row [ID:nL17171796] > Siemens paves way for longer German work week [ID:nL28373862] > Hours dispute could hurt economy -Schroeder [ID:nL1678373] > VW eyes more labour cost cuts as slump continues[ID:nL07106802] > Lufthansa, union agree flexible worktimes [ID:nL14570244] > Employers oppose longer nationwide work week [ID:nL07596268] > Germany on long haul from deadweight to dynamo? [ID:nLA585220] FRANCE > **French govt pledges to consult on strike plan [ID:nL21674940] > Now cable firm may challenge French 35-hr week [ID:nL21616442] > Small French firms want 35-hr week eased [ID:nL20628452] > Bosch workers in France vote down 35-hr week [ID:nL19218050] > Chirac fails to satisfy unions/firms on hours [ID:nL15226416] > Sarkozy details options to lift French workweek [ID:nL10266415] > EU's Monti urges France to ease 35-hr week rule [ID:nL12407343] > Senegal calling -- outsourcing a la francaise [ID:nL04402609] REST OF EUROPE > Dutch unions up in arms over work time rise [ID:nL21219816] > Dutch see room for compromise on EU work time [ID:nL01217684] > Opt-out of EU workweek rules set to get tougher [ID:nL20407251] > EU Commission work time proposal due by Sept [ID:nL08294907] > Dutch minister working on productivity plan [ID:nL09415670] ---------------------------------------------------------- For all news on European jobs: double-click on [JOB-EUROPE-LEN] For all news on European economic data: double-click on [EU-ECI] For all central bank news: double-click on [CEN] For all news on the EU: double-click on [EU] For all news on Germany: double-click on [DE] For all news on France: double-click on [FR] -----------------------------------------------------------