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At 2 pm, the highest government invites the social partners to discuss the announced tightening of the crown measures. Both employers and workers’ representatives have expressed their wishes in advance.
Representatives of workers’ organizations ask for accompanying measures for workers in case of closure. The head of ÖGB, Wolfgang Katzian, and the president of the Chamber of Labor, Renate Anderl, insist on an increase in unemployment benefits, a breaking of the mask and that educational institutions, schools and kindergartens, must remain open . If children are sent home, there must be a legal right for the parents to stay home. Otherwise, it would be a big problem for all employees, Anderl believes, because: “Home office and babysitting are not possible.” It is also necessary to extend the coverage of the accident insurance at the headquarters, which expires at the end of the year.
Mask breakage after two hours
Protection at work is important to Katzian too, keyword mask break. It bothers him that the demand for the breaking of a mask fails “due to the ideological worldview of businessmen.” This is not a hidden reduction in working hours. For the ÖGB president, it is equally conceivable that after two hours of activity with a mask, he goes through another without a mask.
Telephone sick leave
Another point demanded by the workers’ representatives was already fulfilled on Friday morning: In view of the increasing number of infections, ÖGK and workers’ representatives agreed to allow telephone sick leave from November 1 to the end of March.
More money
For Anderl, an increase in unemployment benefits is “urgent” to maintain purchasing power. Katzian also provides greater protection against layoffs in industries affected by the shutdown. Also, his call for a thousand crown for those who have to go to work still stands.
The ÖGB president doesn’t really want to assess whether a lockdown is necessary. You will be careful not to comment on the measurements taken by virologists and experts. Anderl is slightly skeptical: “I don’t know if it really makes sense to shut everything down now.” You don’t know that there have been many infections in restaurants, for example.
Focus critique
What Anderl and Katzian have in common is criticism of the way the government communicates. If he stands up on Thursday and says that the measures will be announced on Saturday, that will not contribute to the confidence of the population, says the head of the AK. The government should not be disturbing, but it should communicate clear rules. Katzian is also bothered by the fact that the planned measures are only circulating as rumors. You don’t want employees to know on TV on Saturday night whether they have to go to work on Monday or not. It will communicate this to the government accordingly.
