New Delhi, Sept. 3 -- The German automaker Volkswagen is in the spotlight since it announced restructuring plans. With Volkswagen currently considering the closure of four German plants, the prime focus is on the industry's 35-hour work week. Amid high labour costs, the future of German auto production seems uncertain. The automaker alleges that high domestic costs bring down profits making cost cut necessary at a time when cheaper models from abroad are stealing market share.

The contentious issue of extending work hours by five extra hours to avoid layoffs and increase productivity has arisen. In Germany's metalworking industry, the 35-hour week is the full-time standard for many production workers, including large parts of the auto se...