German minister backs call for more full-timers to boost economy

German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche on Monday said that it was important that people work full-time in order to boost the economy, after a proposal by fellow conservatives to restrict the legal right to part-time work caused an outcry.

It comes as a group within Germany's governing Christian Democrats (CDU) focussed on economic policy called for the right to part-time work to only be granted if someone is raising children, caring for relatives or undertaking additional vocational training, according to a motion obtained by dpa.

Under current labour law, employees have a right to reduce their working hours if they have been with the company for at least six months and if the firm employs more than 15 people.

The government aims to increase labour productivity, Reiche said on the sidelines of a meeting of European leaders in Hamburg.

In terms of labour productivity, Germany does not differ significantly from the US, she said. "But the weekly and monthly working hours are lower than in other countries, including European countries."

"In this respect, more full-time work combined with childcare options for families who need them, or for relatives in need of care, is an important building block."

The demand by the CDU lawmakers was met with immediate backlash from across the political spectrum, with critics warning that the proposal disregards the reality of people's lives, particularly women.

A senior figure from the Social Democrats, the conservatives' coalition partner, has warned against the "erosion of hard-won workers' rights," while the proposal also sparked criticism from within the CDU's own ranks.

Dennis Radtke, chairman of a wing of CDU lawmakers focussed on employee needs, said conditions for childcare and carers need to be improved in order to enable more people to work full-time.