No bonuses paid

Vöcklabruck works council member ripped off his colleagues

The scene of the affair surrounding the alleged embezzlement of money from the works council fund is the district capital Vöcklabruck. The works council also reported itself there.

(Bild: Wenzel Markus/Markus Wenzel)

An affair in a medium-sized company with a global reputation in Vöcklabruck: a now retired works council member is alleged to have helped himself to the workers' fund in recent years. When his colleague retired and everything came to light, he went to the police himself and turned himself in. 

The medium-sized company in Vöcklabruck is actually quite generous: anyone who marries from the workforce, for example, receives 100 euros from the works council fund. There is also money for the birth or adoption of a child. And anyone who is ill for a longer period of time and therefore no longer receives an income is also supported from this fund.

Malversations among colleagues have long been an issue
However, none of these bonuses have been paid out to workers at the company in question in recent years. The reason: the chairman of the works council is said to have put the money in his own pocket. When the employee representative retired and handed over to his successor, the latter became suspicious - because word got around in the company, which has another site in Frankenmarkt, that they had never received a bonus.

After a phone call to the retired colleague, everything happened quickly. The suspect went to the Vöcklabruck police station on October 31 and filed a voluntary report. The extent of the loss is unclear. Investigations under the heading "embezzlement of union dues" are ongoing.

Company now wants to compensate those affected
The company concerned states: "The incident is currently being investigated. We are assured that the damage caused will be rectified. The workers are currently being informed about the situation and those affected will receive the payments to which they are entitled." 

Self-reporting could be seen as a reason for mitigation
What punishment does the accused face? If charges are brought, everything depends on the amount of the loss: If the amount of bonuses pocketed by the works council of a Vöcklabruck company is higher than 5000 euros, the accused faces three years in prison. If it is more than 300,000 euros (which is unlikely in the current case), the maximum sentence is ten years in prison. It is a relief for the suspect that he went to the police himself and filed a complaint. This can mitigate the sentence.