Poor working conditions: Alarming situation in Austria's security industry

Poor working conditions: Alarming situation in Austria's security industry

In the Austrian security industry, alarming surveys show that working conditions are putting a heavy burden on employees. According to a comprehensive analysis by the Chamber of Labor (AK) and the vida union, systematic grievances are omnipresent. Employees who work up to twelve hours a day at a time are often overworked and struggle with unfair payroll, with 36 percent of cases involving unpaid or incorrect overtime. “The industry is suffering from strong price pressure, which is passed on to the employees,” reported a vida expert, particularly highlighting the precarious situation since many layoffs occur due to illness. Even the second sick leave can be problematic for employees, and many of them are even abruptly dismissed via WhatsApp, as the AK criticizes.

A particularly alarming phenomenon is the high proportion of employees who come to work despite being sick. This is shown by a current survey, where almost 60 percent of employees remain in their jobs despite health restrictions - a high since 2008. It is often the feeling of duty towards their colleagues that drives them to work. According to the study, more than 55 percent of those surveyed cite this responsibility as the main reason for their so-called presenteeism. In addition, employees who have to go to work while sick are exposed to significantly greater stress due to time pressure, which further exacerbates the consequences for their health, as shown by the Austrian Working Climate Index, which is collected annually by the Chamber of Labor.

Health effects and future prospects

The health status of employees who go to work despite being sick deteriorates significantly. While 80 percent of employees who call in sick rate their state of health as “good” or “very good,” only 60 percent of those who call in sick do so. The prospects for the future are also alarming: almost 40 percent of employees who come to work due to illness do not believe that they will be able to stay in their job until they retire. Another worrying trend can be observed in the home office, where it has been found that 61 percent of those working there have worked while sick - in contrast to only 53 percent of those who do not have the option of working from home. “Anyone who is sick should not work,” emphasizes AK President Andreas Stangl and calls for better conditions for all employees.

In summary, both in the security industry and in other sectors such as health and retail, pressure on employees is increasing, which can have devastating long-term consequences for the health and well-being of employees. Continued reforms and awareness-raising on these issues are urgently needed to improve working conditions and minimize health risks, as well krone.at as well as ooe.arbeiterkammer.at report consistently.