2023-07-16 04:05:19
Labor and Economics Minister Martin Kocher (ÖVP) is calling for further measures on the labor market in view of the shortage of skilled workers. He appealed to politicians, social partners and companies for openness. “We have to jump even more over ideological shadows,” said the politician in the APA interview. Kocher named the amendment to higher vocational training as a reform project for the fall. A proposal for the food price calculator should be available soon.
Basically, Kocher sees recent progress in the area of labor market policy. As an example, he singled out the reform of the red-white-red card, which had been successfully implemented “together with the social partners”. Now, however, further instruments are necessary because the problems caused by the lack of personnel are not diminishing. “The appeal goes out to everyone to ensure that there are enough workers on the job market,” said Kocher. It is about “securing our prosperity and our social system”.
Kocher sees a need for action in the nationwide placement of unemployed people – one of the focal points of the new targets for the AMS. “We cannot accept that we have 3 percent unemployment, i.e. full employment, like we do now in Tyrol and Salzburg, but more than 10 percent in Vienna.” An increase in the distance allowance, as recently proposed by the new AMS board member Petra Draxl, could therefore be discussed, said Kocher. However, the minister assured that nothing should change in the future regarding the legal reasonableness provisions for a change of location.
Kocher did not provide any specific information on the AMS budget, which is likely to be lower next year, in view of the upcoming negotiations. In any case, he wants to work to ensure that important projects in active labor market policy, such as the placement of young people, the long-term unemployed or women, can be pursued. The new targets are quite ambitious, but this is also necessary if one wants to respond better to the needs of individual job seekers. Kocher described the targets as a “compass” for labor market policy.
By autumn at the latest, Kocher wants to finalize the reform of higher vocational education anchored in the turquoise-green government program for 2020-2024. Higher vocational training is about anchoring an equivalent alternative to university-academic education in Austria. People who come from the vocational training sector, i.e. who have completed an apprenticeship, for example, should no longer necessarily have to switch to the academic sector in order to obtain a higher qualification. There were only minor things to be clarified. “I hope we can come up with a package soon.”
Kocher also wants to develop a proposal for the food price calculator announced in mid-May by the autumn. The specific design is still open, and there is currently an exchange with experts from the Federal Competition Authority (BWB). In any case, the tool must “use the consumer, it must be simple and of course it must also be designed in such a way that it provides the right information at all times”. At the same time, competition in the food trade should also be fueled. The aim is to provide an instrument that can be used in the long term. “That’s why it makes sense to take the time for it.”
In Austria, food prices have recently been a key driver of inflation. According to a quick estimate by Statistics Austria, the inflation rate in June in Germany was 8.0 percent in June, and in May the year-on-year increase was 9.0 percent – a rise in prices that is above the eurozone average. It is particularly important that the gap between Austria and Germany is reduced, said Kocher, who referred to the government’s most recent anti-inflation measures and the tightening of monetary policy by the European Central Bank (ECB).
The minister was basically open to the suggestion of the new head of the Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), Holger Bonin, to reconsider the indexation that is widespread in Austria. However, he has not yet heard any concrete suggestions for “better indexing”, for example apart from the consumer price index (CPI). Indexation, which is anchored in tenancy law, for example, means that prices are subsequently adjusted to inflation developments under certain conditions.
Regarding the Mercosur Pact, which is currently being negotiated internationally, Kocher emphasized the upstanding parliamentary resolution, which fundamentally obliges the government to take a negative stance. But the politician can imagine reassessing the end result. “Until we know what the overall package looks like, I can’t rule out the possibility that a different position might be taken after all.” He wants to wait until there is a “clear political position from the European Commission and the Mercosur countries”. “Then you can make a decision on how Austria will behave.” From his point of view, the sticking points are the protection of the rainforest, which must be guaranteed by the Mercosur countries, and ensuring fair competition for agricultural products.
(The interview was conducted by Anton Porsch and Christoph Schlemmer/APA)
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