As SPÖ social spokesman and FSG boss Josef Mučić confirmed at a press conference today, the industry's proposal to extend standard working hours to 41 hours per week without wage compensation was not well received by the Social Democrats.
Federal Chancellor and ÖVP leader Karl Nehhammer had said earlier in the day that implementing the proposal was out of the question for him. In the end, the Constitution Minister Caroline Edstadtler (ÖVP) could not accept the initiative either. He had previously spoken of the need to work more rather than less in Austria.
“Not credible” thought Muchic: “Whenever a move is a bit too exciting (…), people will back off,” said the FSG president. However, the ÖVP has already pursued policies in the past that have harmed employees. And: “If the blue and black ends after the election, we know what will happen.”
Muchich said the implementation was “interfering with people's wallets” and “legal wage theft”. The idea that this could strengthen business location is “nonsense”.