Debate about holiday cancellation: Business demands change!

Debate about holiday cancellation: Business demands change!

In Germany, the discussion about canceling public holidays has flared up again. Business representatives are calling for a review of the German festival calendar, with church holidays in particular being targeted. The declining number of Christians is cited as a key reason for these considerations. The Bavarian Business Association (vbw) advocates higher weekly working hours or the cancellation of public holidays in order to increase economic performance. The organization “The Family Entrepreneurs” also supports these demands.

The managing director of vbw, Bertram Brossardt, brings up examples of holidays that do not exist in other countries. This could indicate that German work culture and times should be reconsidered in an internationally comparative context. OECD data shows that German workers work, on average, 92 hours less than their Austrian colleagues and 391 hours less than Italian workers.

Economic impact of holiday cancellation

A central aspect of this discussion is the possible increase in gross domestic product (GDP). Michael Hüther, director of the German Economic Institute, has emphasized that the abolition of a public holiday could contribute to a short-term increase in economic performance. The institute's calculations show that an additional working day could increase GDP by up to 8.6 billion euros. Economists' proposal to eliminate a holiday would mean an extra working day could amount to up to 0.2 percent of GDP.

There are two different calculation approaches for this proposal: a calendar adjustment could generate economic output of a good five billion euros, while two scenarios from the Expert Council (increase in production, cost reduction) could achieve similar results of up to 8.6 billion euros. The impact could vary depending on the time of year of the holiday being canceled.

Reactions and concerns

Despite these economic arguments, there is considerable resistance to the cancellation of public holidays. Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) has already made it clear that he does not want to cancel Whit Monday. State Chancellery boss Nathanael Liminski (CDU) also sees other priorities for stimulating the economy. The Association of Catholic Entrepreneurs (BKU) warns of a loss of culture that could result from the cancellation of public holidays.

Trade unions vehemently reject these proposals and emphasize the importance of holidays for work culture and workers' recovery. A recent survey by YouGov shows that 75 percent of those surveyed are against the cancellation of Whit Monday. In addition, 73 percent do not see the abolition of public holidays as an appropriate way to strengthen the economy. 75 percent believe that holidays strengthen the economy through increased tourism and restaurant traffic.

The discussion is complex because public holidays vary depending on the federal state. A uniform holiday only exists on October 3rd; Nine other public holidays apply nationwide: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Labor Day, German Unity Day and Christmas Day. The challenges of deletion go far beyond economic considerations and also affect cultural and social aspects of society.

For further information on this topic, we refer to the reporting by cathedral radio and daily news.