> I assume the workers are paid hourly, so wouldn't the cost be the same? Are second and third shifts more costly? At least for Germany, yes - by law, night an

> I assume the workers are paid hourly, so wouldn't the cost be the same? Are second and third shifts more costly? At least for Germany, yes - by law, night and weekend/holiday work must both be approved by the authorities and compensated. Most union contracts here go way beyond the vague notion of the law and require significant compensation.