2023-09-15 10:14:16
The ÖGB has identified wage and social dumping in the temporary employment sector in Tyrol. The PRO-GE union gave companies affected by the grievances an ultimatum of January 15th to correct them and contact the union, it was said at a press conference on Friday. Otherwise they threatened to name the “black sheep” and take further steps. They extended their hand once more: “Our telephone number is known,” they said.
In general, when problems and grievances arise, efforts are made to find a direct solution with the affected companies, emphasized state managing director Thomas Giner and Bernhard Höfler, responsible secretary and board member of the Tyrol Chamber of Labor: “We don’t immediately write threatening letters, we call.” This often works because companies also have an interest in ensuring that their work is legally clean. Nevertheless, there are widespread grievances at the expense of the employees among around 3,000 temporary workers in Tyrol – two thirds of whom are women. “We are tired of seeing when labor leasing companies from abroad, but also from within the country, do not adhere to applicable laws,” said Höfler, explaining the current wake-up call for the industry: “The arc has been overstretched.”
The problem extends from Reutte to East Tyrol. “Corona was also an accelerant here,” said Höfler. Reckonings are sometimes “beyond good and evil”. There are temporary employment agencies where the pay does not correspond to the valid requirements. Correct billing of accommodation costs or diets for employees who are deployed more than 120 kilometers from their place of residence is often a problem. Instead of covering these as required by law, employers would deduct some of these from employees’ wages. As a result, pay slips have already been seen with less than 1,000 euros for full-time work – and this despite an actually high minimum wage of over 2,000 euros in the industry. In addition, accommodation for temporary workers is sometimes unacceptably equipped.
The trade unionists reported that problems often arise with companies from abroad and foreign-speaking employees. The employees do not know regarding the legal situation and would not complain out of – understandable – fear of losing their jobs. After all, despite the grievances, some people in this country earn even better than in their countries of origin. However, the union wants to ensure that all employees are paid fairly and equally to their colleagues. “But we also often come across a language barrier,” admitted Giner. “Temporary workers deserve the same treatment as employees in the main company and are protected by law,” emphasized the trade unionist.
Höfler and Giner did not want to specify how many companies this would affect: “In order to give employers the chance to remedy possible grievances.” In any case, many companies are affected. In general, both emphasized their strong support for social partnership. They don’t want to work once morest the companies; rather, they see an interest among the companies themselves in ensuring that legal regulations are adhered to when it comes to temporary workers. After all, the “great achievements” of the collective agreement and the Temporary Employment Act also bring companies a major advantage: competitive equality.
The union now wants to write to employees and collect documents over the next three months. The temporary employment agencies and companies themselves are asked to come forward and, in cooperation with the union, solve any existing problems. The trade unionists warned: “The collective agreement also applies to temporary workers from abroad. All colleagues who work in Austria naturally have the right to be treated and paid equally in accordance with Austrian regulations.” In addition, companies that request temporary workers also have to ensure that their work is legally clean – not just the temporary employment agencies. “Temporary work must be properly paid and be more expensive, otherwise it will not only increasingly become a problem for permanent workers, but also open the door to wage and social dumping,” warned Giner.
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