Side blow to ÖVP

“Wage theft”: 41-hour week annoys SPÖ

(Bild: APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

The industry proposal to extend the standard working week to 41 hours without wage compensation has met with little approval from the Social Democrats. Its implementation would be tantamount to an "intervention in people's pockets" and thus a "wage theft by law", emphasized the red social spokesman Josef Muchitsch.

He sharply criticized the People's Party, which, contrary to the announcement by Federal Chancellor and ÖVP chairman Karl Nehammer, was flirting with the idea. "The ÖVP wants to raise normal working hours by law at the suggestion of the Federation of Austrian Industries without adjusting wages."

"A 41-hour week takes away people's purchasing power"
In fact, more people work in Austria than in many other countries. In addition, a 41-hour week would deprive people of their purchasing power, which would dampen consumption and thus weaken the economy.

If the blue-black coalition turns out well after the election, then we know what will happen.

SPÖ-Sozialsprecher und FSG-Chef Josef Muchitsch

Bild: Helmut Fohringer/APA/picturedesk.com

Nehammer on 41-hour week: "It's not coming!"
Nehammer declared on Wednesday that he would not consider implementing the proposal. "Definitely not coming", said the Chancellor. Constitutional Minister Karoline Edtstadler (ÖVP) also made it clear that she was not in favor of the industry proposal. She had previously said that more rather than less work needed to be done in Austria.

Edtstadler and Nehammer

(Bild: APA/VOLKSPARTEI/JAKOB GLASER)

Muchitsch considers this to be "not credible": "Whenever a measure is perhaps a little exuberant, they then row back," said the FSG chairman. However, the ÖVP had already pursued a policy at the expense of employees in the past.

Klaus Seltenheim, Federal Managing Director of the SPÖ, was similar, accusing the ÖVP of wanting to restrict the rights of employees. What is needed instead is a four-day week, which the SPÖ has been demanding for some time. This is "not only in the interests of employees, it is also in the interests of companies".