2024-11-08 11:57:00
Yesterday, Labor Minister Martin Kocher told the “Kleine Zeitung” that a stop to the Red-White-Red Card would exacerbate the existing shortage of skilled workers and permanently endanger the competitiveness of the Austrian economy and thus existing jobs. Roman Hebenstreit, chairman of the vida union, doesn’t want to let that stand and counters Kocher: “It is misleading to claim that the Red-White-Red Card is primarily used for highly qualified positions. In fact, the majority of immigration through this program comes from low-wage countries for low-skilled jobs in low-paying service sectors. The public is deliberately being misinformed by the minister,” states the vida union.
“The idea of a widespread shortage of skilled workers contradicts the reality of the labor market.”
There are currently complaints about a “perceived labor shortage” in many industries, but despite these claims, there has never been full employment in Austria in recent years. “The idea of a widespread shortage of skilled workers contradicts the reality of the labor market. Our unemployment numbers are continually rising, but the creation of secure, fairly paid jobs is still a long time coming, not the lack of workers,” continued Hebenstreit.
Hebenstreit also criticizes the misuse of the red-white-red card by employers in sectors such as catering, tourism and, more recently, in industry. “These employers use labor migration programs to reduce training positions and keep wages artificially low. The Minister of Labor is fueling this development even further with his current policy – that is a slap in the face to all local employees who deserve fair working conditions,” says Hebenstreit. The red-white-red card is increasingly being abused as a tool for wage dumping in order to maximize short-term profits at the expense of employees.
Red-white-red card makes integration more difficult and prevents it
Hebenstreit also warns that the red-white-red card repeats the same integration errors that arose in the 1970s through the guest worker rule. “The migrant workers at the time were told that they were only temporary ‘guests’. They often had little incentive to learn German or to integrate permanently, which led to social challenges that are still with us today. This attitude also had an impact on the children who came after them, who often faced barriers to integration as a result,” explains Hebenstreit. “With the Red-White-Red Card, we fall into exactly the same trap: workers from low-wage countries come into the country with temporary residence permits tied to an employer. They are not offered any real prospects, and here too integration is made more difficult and prevented,” adds the vida chairman.
Workers become easier to blackmail
“This binding of many unskilled workers to one employer through the Red-White-Red Card also makes them easier to blackmail. As a result, they are often under great pressure and are vulnerable to exploitation and wage dumping. “They are forced to accept poor working conditions and low wages because their residence permit is linked to their job,” criticizes Hebenstreit.
In view of the current labor market figures – at the end of October 371,648 people in Austria were unemployed or in training, an increase of over 32,700 people compared to the previous year – Hebenstreit is calling for an immediate stop to the red-white-red card. “What we need now is not more low-wage workers from third countries, but rather investments in training and fair employment for those who are already here. The exploding unemployment figures and the falling number of job vacancies clearly show that the labor market policy of the past few years has failed,” explains Hebenstreit.
“If you want to have skilled workers for the future, you also have to train them”
Finally, Hebenstreit appeals to the future federal government to realign the labor market and focus on stabilizing domestic employment. “The red-white-red card should be abolished in its current form. What we need is a transparent and sustainable labor market policy that invests in the long term in domestic workers and promotes social cohesion. Therefore, first train those who are already here. If you want to have skilled workers for the future, you also have to train them,” concludes Hebenstreit.
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**Interview with Roman Hebenstreit, Chairman of the vida Union on the Red-White-Red Card Debate**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Roman. Recent comments from Labor Minister Martin Kocher suggested that stopping the Red-White-Red Card would worsen the skilled labor shortage in Austria. How do you respond to that?
**Roman Hebenstreit:** Thank you for having me. It’s crucial to clarify that the assertion of a widespread skilled labor shortage is misleading. While there are complaints of a perceived labor shortage in various sectors, Austria has never actually reached full employment. Our growing unemployment numbers contradict the idea that we lack workers. What we really need is the creation of secure, well-paying jobs, not just an influx of labor.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned that the Red-White-Red Card is misused by employers. Could you elaborate on how this happens?
**Roman Hebenstreit:** Certainly. Many employers, especially in sectors like catering and tourism, use the Red-White-Red Card to sidestep the responsibility of providing quality training positions and to suppress wages. This is not about attracting highly skilled workers; it’s about exploiting a system that allows for lower wages under the guise of addressing labor shortages. This is unfair to local employees who deserve decent working conditions.
**Interviewer:** That’s a strong position. You also highlighted concerns about integration. How do you see the Red-White-Red Card affecting new immigrants?
**Roman Hebenstreit:** The Red-White-Red Card perpetuates integration issues reminiscent of the guest worker programs of the 1970s. Workers come here with temporary residency tied to their employer, which discourages them from learning German and integrating into society. This creates social challenges that can last for generations, impacting not just the workers but also their families. We shouldn’t repeat these mistakes.
**Interviewer:** So, what changes do you propose regarding the current system?
**Roman Hebenstreit:** We need to rethink our approach to labor migration. Instead of a temporary fix that allows for wage dumping and fosters dependency on low-wage workers, we should focus on policies that promote fair wages and training opportunities. Let’s create an environment where immigrants can truly integrate and contribute to our society, rather than treating them as disposable labor.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Roman. It’s an important discussion that will undoubtedly continue as the labor market evolves.
**Roman Hebenstreit:** Thank you for having me. I hope we can foster a constructive dialogue on this issue moving forward.
