Bavaria’s government increased the workweek from 38.5 to 40 hours for older employees and to 42 hours for younger employees. When Daimler-Chrysler increased work hours from 35 to 40 hours in its research and development center, the dam broke and other bargaining agreements fell into line.
西门子首当其冲，将每周工作时间从35小时提高至40小时。巴伐利亚市政府将老年雇员的工作时间从38.5小时提高至40小时，年轻雇员的工作时间则增至42小时。戴姆勒-克莱斯勒将其研究和发展中心的工作时间从35小时提高至40小时，此先河一开，其他的谈判协议纷至沓来。