Industry and WKO

Appeal to new government: “There must be no taboos”

Kurt Maier, President of the Styrian Federation of Industry, and Josef Herk, President of the Styrian Chamber of Commerce

(Bild: Foto Fischer)

Just two days after the regional elections, Styrian Chamber of Commerce President Josef Herk and his counterpart at the Federation of Austrian Industries, Kurt Maier, have spoken out together. They are calling on the new state government to put the economy first: "There must be no hesitation and no taboos." New municipal mergers should also be on the agenda.

At the same time as FPÖ leader Mario Kunasek's press conference, Josef Herk and Kurt Maier - just a few meters away - spoke up. "The most important factor is time, we have to act quickly," warns the industry president in view of the recession and the difficult situation of many leading companies. The reasons for this are not only to be found at European or federal level, no, in Styria there are also "home-made problems."

A well-known, but nonetheless essential lever that needs to be activated: Faster approval procedures are needed. "The right people should be in the right places," says Maier. The possibilities of digitalization are still hardly being used: "I myself have experienced two EIA procedures (as CEO of Heinzl in Pöls, note). We brought suitcases full of documents to the authorities." A digital database that could be accessed by all parties involved would be helpful - a pilot project has already been launched in Upper Austria.

The worst piece of furniture in Styria is the long bank, it should be abolished.

Josef Herk

Bild: Christian Jauschowetz

All expenditure should be reviewed
Maier emphasizes that he has only met highly qualified experts at the authorities. "But they themselves suffer from the regulations and delays." We therefore need to make greater use of non-official experts, Herk adds. Incidentally, the IV has commissioned a study on how procedures can be accelerated. 

The two captains of industry are also concerned about the high national debt of almost six billion euros. It is therefore necessary to use the scope for efficiency and evaluate the entire spending policy. Maier also suggests a debate on the structures of federalism. Herk also emphasizes: "There must be no taboos." He wants to discuss a new municipal structure reform and cites Bruck and Kapfenberg as well as his home region, the Aichfeld, as examples. 

A trend reversal can succeed if everyone pulls in the same direction.

Kurt Maier

Bild: Jauschowetz Christian/Christian Jauschowetz

Despite rising unemployment, the shortage of skilled workers continues to be a stumbling block. Maier gives another practical example from his company: A new paper machine had created 80 jobs. The company had to train the necessary employees itself, which took two years. 

"It's 5 past 12"
"We don't have time to hesitate and wait, it's 5 past 12," emphasizes Chamber of Commerce President Herk. He appeals to the new state government to put the economy and location policy first. Following the example of Carinthia, there could be a quarterly meeting between the government and the social partners. 

Herk also comments on the chairman debate in the Styrian ÖVP. Although the head of the Wirtschaftsbund expressed his confidence in the election loser Christopher Drexler at Monday's meeting, as did everyone else, the party's internal business wing is pushing for a new line-up after the coalition negotiations. "If business is going badly in a company, the position of the managing director will be questioned. It's no different in a party. You then have to question everything, you have to be that self-critical. Nothing is God-given and nothing gets better by laying hands on it," said Herk on Tuesday. 

One thing is clear: in future, the representatives of business interests will have to deal with an FPÖ-led provincial government, with which there has only been loose contact to date. Herk: "The first route will lead to the new state government, we will officially present our program of demands and hold talks."