Arbeitszeitflexibilisierung als Beschäftigungspolitisches Instrument - Wirkungen und Grenzen Neuer Arbeitszeitpolitik

"Konzepte einer 'Neuen Arbeitszeitpolitik' treten mit dem doppelten Anspruch auf, durch eine Individualisierung von Arbeitszeitregelungen arbeitsmarktpolitische Probleme lösen und darüber hinaus zur Humanisierung der Arbeit beitragen zu können. Selektivität und Realisierungschancen flexibler Arbeitszeitregelungen wurden bislang hauptsächlich unter technologischen Gesichtspunkten diskutiert. Demgegenüber verfolgt dieser Beitrag die Absicht, den sozialen und institutionellen Verhältnissen Rechnung zu tragen, die im Zuge einer Arbeitszeitflexibilisierung wirksam sind. Zu diesem Zweck wird zunächst eine qualifikations- und organisationssoziologische Perspektive gewählt, die es erlaubt, zu begründen, in welchem Verhältnis Einsatz und Nutzung von Arbeitskräften mit den betrieblichen Organisationserfordernissen stehen. Daran anknüpfend wird gezeigt, wie sich die betriebliche Nutzung von Arbeitskräften auf die Arbeitszeitstruktur auswirkt. Es lassen sich zwei Typen herauskristallisieren, die in einem Entsprechungsverhältnis zur betrieblichen Hierarchie stehen: Im unteren Statusbereich dominieren starre Zeitnormierungen, die einen kontorllierenden Zugriff auf die Arbeitsvorgänge ermöglichen. Vornehmlich im oberen Bereich der Betriebshierarchie sind flexible, selbstbestimmte Muster der Zeitverwendung verbreitet, die mit der Loyalität und Identifikation der hier Beschäftigten mit dem Organisationsziel korrespondieren. Wir interpretieren diesen Befund als betrieblich-organisatorische Formen der Lösung arbeitswirtschaftlicher Probleme, nämlich als Strategien der Externalisierung des Nutzungsrisikos von Arbeitsvermögen im unteren Statusbereich und dessen Internalisierung im oberen Bereich. Im darauffolgenden Schritt diskutieren wir einige Varianten der Arbeitszeitflexibilisierung auf ihre Ausformung hin, die sie aufgrund dieser arbeitswirtschaftlicher Strategien erfahren. Ergebnis dieser Diskussion ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit einer stark selektiven Wirkung der Arbeitszeitflexibilisierung. Diesen kontraintentionalen Effekt erwarten wir primär aufgrund der Zuordnung vornehmlich chronologisch flexibler Arbeitszeitvarianten zu höheren Statuspositionen und chronometrische Varianten zum Bereich restriktiver, konjunkturempfindlicher Arbeitsplätze. Daraus folgt ferner eine in der zeitlichen Dimension stärker als bisher wirksame Zuordnung bestimmter Arbeitskräftegruppen zu den betriebsinternen bzw. zu den überbetrieblichen Arbeitsmärkten. Darüber hinaus erwarten wir primär in den unteren Statusgruppen neben einem Schutzverlust eine Verdichtung der Arbeit. Diese negativen Folgelasten lassen sich um so schwieriger abbauen, als mit der Verbreitung der Arbeitszeitflexibilisierung auch die Individualisierung von Arbeitszeitvereinbarungen verbunden ist. Die Verlagerung von Arbeitszeitregelungen von der tariflichen auf die betriebliche Ebene macht eine staatliche und/oder gewerkschaftliche Schutzpolitik unter den gegebenen institutionellen Voraussetzungen der Interessenvertretung abhängig Beschäftigter nahezu unmöglich. Sollen die Vorzüge von flexiblen Arbeitszeitregelungen daher nicht vollständig preisgegeben werden, bedarf es neuer Formen der staatlichen, tariflichen und innerbetrieblichen Konfliktregelung in diesem Betrieb."Arbeitszeitpolitik, Arbeitszeitflexibilität, Beschäftigung, Betrieb - Organisation

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