Economics Minister Katherina Reiche: “We have to work more and longer”

Companies reported to her that their employees at their US locations worked 1,800 hours per year, but only 1,340 hours in Germany . "Compared internationally, Germans work little on average," Reiche criticized. The reforms contained in the coalition agreement will not be sufficient in the long run. "The social security systems are overburdened. The combination of non-wage labor costs, taxes, and levies will make labor in Germany uncompetitive in the long run," Reiche said.