In less than a day, petition no. 2384, which calls for “two days of teleworking per week for everyone, including border workers,” reached the 4,500-signature mark, which is needed for a public debate in the chamber of deputies. 

Within 48 hours, the 10,000 signatures mark was reached. At this rate, the petition could become the most popular in Luxembourg before the end of the weekend (and thus surpass the 18,645 signatures obtained at the end of 2021 by the petition calling for a referendum on the first chapter of the revision of the constitution). It would then still have 37 days left for more people to sign it.

“I must admit that I was surprised by the speed with which the figure rose,” explains Sabrina Litim, the author of the petition. “But I am not surprised by the enthusiasm it has generated. Telework is an important issue for everyone. Not only for border workers. For residents, too.”

As a Frenchwoman living in the Arlon region of Belgium and working in Luxembourg, this young woman employed in the banking sector was not, by her own admission, "destined to embark on a quest like this". Moreover, she does not really want to be in the media for anything other than the message she is carrying nor does she want to appear in any photos. "I thought that the political authorities would take up the issue of telework and put it on the table. In Luxembourg, but also in neighbouring countries. And that a permanent solution for a wider dissemination would be found.”

30 June was the trigger

Seeing the fateful date of 30 June, the end of tax immunity for unlimited teleworking, arrive without anything happening, was a trigger for her. "I saw the 'old world' coming back and, as someone who works in Luxembourg, I had to say that we can't go down that road again. We saw that another way of working was possible.”

The arguments she develops in favour of telework in the statement of reasons on the Chamber's website are not surprising. They are the same ones we have been hearing a lot for several months: the reduction of “destructive ecological impacts” and “traffic jams” or the improvement of “employees' well-being” through a better "private/work life balance". She does not advocate "100% telework", which she says is not viable, but rather "finding the right balance between these two worlds by allowing border workers to maintain a sufficient amount of telework".

"Luxembourg should be in the front line,” said Litim and do this, she calls for an increase in tax and social security limitations on teleworking. "When you know how important border workers are to the Luxembourg economy, the Grand Duchy should be at the forefront of these issues," she explains. "It should ask its neighbours to increase the days of tax immunity via bilateral agreements. But it should also push at EU level for progress on the current social security limit.

Facing Georges Engel and Dan Kersch at the beginning of the school year

Litim will be able to share all this when she is received in the chamber of deputies for a public debate. This will take place in the autumn, in principle between 15 September and 11 October. That is, just before the resumption of the parliamentary session. Labour minister, (LSAP), and the committee on Labour, Employment and Social Security, led by (LSAP) will be present to listen and debate.

But beyond this debate, it will certainly also be an opportunity to put the spotlight on a subject that has received little attention from Luxembourg's political parties in recent months. Although the government, through family minister  (DP), indicated a few months ago that “one day of teleworking per week--for those who can make use of it--would be perfect”, no other political figure has really mentioned its position on a matter.

This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.