Symbol of solidarity

For the SPÖ, May Day has lost none of its luster

A little dance after the successful election: StR Elli Mayr and ÖGB boss Wohlgemuth

(Bild: Birbaumer Johanna)

The SPÖ Tirol celebrated its traditional May Day festival in Innsbruck's Rapoldipark: May 1st, Labor Day, is more than just a day in the calendar: "It is a symbol of justice, fairness and solidarity, a sign of strength and unity". After the super election year, SPÖ Deputy Governor Georg Dornauer is striving for "government responsibility at all levels" for the Social Democrats. 

The SPÖ also celebrated Labor Day in Tyrol on Wednesday. In Rapoldipark, the top representatives of the party and its front organizations traditionally met with hundreds of like-minded people for a May Day celebration. "What has always distinguished social democracy, made it great and made it a reliable force for a better future is its willingness to take responsibility. That is why the SPÖ has always been a governing party. And that is what we will be again at the end of this super election year - at all political levels," said Deputy Governor Georg Dornauer, setting out the direction of travel.

More working hours - reaching into the wallet
And he also announced resistance: "Some people seriously want to increase the working week to 41 hours - with the same pay. We will know how to prevent this grab into employees' wallets, this wage theft by law!"

ÖGB: A good life for all
Philip Wohlgemuth, ÖGB Chairman and SP labor spokesman, echoed the same sentiment: "We make policy for all people who have a hard time. For those who have to fight every day to make ends meet. For those who don't have a lobby and can do anything with their money. And we fight for a good life for everyone."

Women get less
"May Day is about justice. Also and especially for women. Work is still very unequally distributed. Women shoulder paid and unpaid work and are often asked to do double and triple the work. Women work more, but are paid less for their working hours. We want half-and-half, this is the only way society can become truly fair," emphasized Women's Chairwoman NR Selma Yildirim.

Making life better for everyone in Innsbruck is the goal of SP city councillor Elisabeth Mayr, who now feels a tailwind after the successful GR election.

Neither the Babler model of a 32-hour week nor the industrial association model of a 41-hour week are suitable for overcoming the challenges of the future labor market.

ÖVP-Arbeiternehmer und Arbeiterkammer Tirol

LH Mattle and LR Mair thanked employees
"When we celebrate May 1st as a public holiday, we deliberately want to say a special thank you - firstly to all Tyrolean entrepreneurs for their foresight, commitment and courage to operate successfully even in a difficult economic environment and, in particular, to all Tyrolean employees for their hard work and reliability. They keep the economic engine going," emphasized LH Anton Mattle and Labor Commissioner Astrid Mair.

LR Astrid Mair and LH Anton Mattle (VP)

(Bild: zVg)

AK Tirol: "Extending working hours is not an issue " 
The extension of working hours suggested by the Federation of Austrian Industries is "strictly rejected" by VP employees and AK President Erwin Zangerl. The fact is that more and more people will be missing from the labor market in the future due to the retirement of the baby boom generation. This development can only be countered with a bundle of measures.

Employees once again need reliable policies that address people's problems and do not just rely on marketing gimmicks.

Erwin Zangerl, Präsident der Arbeiterkammer Tirol

AK package of measures
This includes, for example, a massive expansion of childcare, tax incentives for people in full-time employment and the provision of employee housing outside of the tourism industry. As well as flexible working time models, increasing opportunities to work from home, good models for partial retirement, modern socio-economic enterprises, tax incentives for people who voluntarily stay in work beyond retirement age and fair pay. And targeted immigration of workers that is coordinated within the social partnership.

(Bild: zVg)

Flags of armed guerrillas
Away from the May Day celebrations of the SPÖ and other organizations, some left-wing activists also called for a May Day demonstration in Innsbruck on Wednesday. Yellow-green flags with a red star were also used. These are associated with the HPG, the armed arm of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is classified as a terrorist organization by many countries. According to Wikipedia, the fighters describe themselves as guerrillas.