Surprising

SPÖ agrees with government on work for asylum seekers

Refugees could be better integrated by working in the communities.

(Bild: Scharinger Daniel/Pressefoto Scharinger © Daniel Scharinger)

Salzburg's Communists and Greens do not go along with the initiative of the People's Party and Freedom Party and fear wage dumping. For the SPÖ, however, it is clear that the model should at least be examined.

Asylum seekers in Salzburg should, as reported, be obliged to do community service. Whether this is even possible is to be examined. This was decided by the black-blue state government at a committee meeting of the Salzburg state parliament on Wednesday. Surprisingly, the SPÖ agreed to this. "We are not fundamentally against it and the motion is about examining whether it is possible," says party leader David Egger. In principle, the party is critical of it, especially as the organization should not be left to the municipalities and resources tied up as a result. "The state must manage this," says Egger. And: non-profit work must not lead to wage dumping.

The communists also fear possible wage dumping. They would prefer to see refugees in regular gainful employment "The vast majority of asylum seekers are very interested in working," Markus Walter is convinced. Kimbie Humer-Vogl takes a similar view, speaking of the importance for integration when asylum seekers work. "But we are not in favor of forced labor," says the Green politician, who, like the KPÖ Plus, voted against the motion. The ÖVP and FPÖ are sticking to their guns: Refugees not only have rights but also duties. Furthermore, the limit of acceptance among the population had already been reached.