Abstract

This paper examines how proposals for the 'humanization of work,' aimed at improving working conditions, were increasingly overshadowed by labour flexibilization during the 1980s. Using Germany as a case study, it explores the Federal Government's 1974 'Humanization of Work' initiative and its evolution amidst rising unemployment, technological change and neoliberal influence. Labour flexibilization, exemplified by debates over working hours, displaced efforts to improve the quality of working life. This transition reflects a broader historical shift from policies supporting worker protections to those favouring capitalist accumulation and deregulation. By analysing political, academic and trade union perspectives from the 1970s and 1980s, this paper highlights how neoliberal agendas reshaped labour relations, diminishing the focus on worker-centred approaches. These findings underscore pivotal changes in labour policies and their lasting impact on work and workers' rights.