More money as a solution?

500 euro “capital city bonus” to keep police officers

The shortage of police personnel is critical.

(Bild: Spitzbart Wolfgang/Wolfgang Spitzbart .)

Shortly before the staff representation elections for the executive (November 27 and 28), more money could also mean more police officers for the federal capital of Vienna. There is support for the proposal from City Hall

In the "Krone" newspaper, FSG trade unionist Walter Strallhofer criticized the working conditions of the Vienna police force. His group is also calling for a "capital city bonus".

It is unacceptable that we in Vienna perform 60 percent of the work with 25 percent of the staff and receive no reward for it.

Gewerkschafter Walter Strallhofer (FSG)

Bild: Gilbert Brandl, Insp

 "It is unacceptable that in Vienna we do 60 percent of the work with 25 percent of the staff," says the staff representative from the FSG Club of the Executive. If there is not more staff, then at least more money. According to Strallhofer, 500 euros net per month should be possible. This might also make it possible to retain more colleagues from the federal states.

Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) also supports the demand. A petition for a referendum has also been launched, which already has more than 8,000 supporters. "The Vienna police are deployed a lot in Vienna due to the many international organizations and gatherings. Vienna's police officers worked more than 2 million hours of overtime last year - that's an unacceptable situation!", the city leader told "Krone".

More police for Vienna could soon become an issue in the coalition talks for the new federal government, in which the ÖVP and SPÖ are likely to sit opposite each other.