Karin Bornett
Temporary work, temporary work, leasing, labor leasing - many terms, all refer to the same principle: A temporary employment agency employs workers who are left to a customer for work. Payroll, insurance and contract run through the temporary employment agency. Thus, the customer is flexible and can use peak times in the short term - without great bureaucracy. Advertised by the economy as a job engine, titled as a yield by employee representatives - temporary work has a mixed reputation.
Even a ban was already in the room: the unions and the workers' chamber campaigned for it. However, two bills from the 1977 and 1982 years, which provided for a general ban on the leasing of labor, failed. 1988 was finally adopted the AÜG as a compromise law. Today, labor leasing is a fast-growing business sector in Austria: 1995 had some 12.500 workers and some as temporary labor, so 2008 already had it through 68.000.
"Second-class worker" - despite novella
Although the Labor Lease Act (AÜG) has been amended since January 2013 and thus the temporary workers are legally equal to the employees in terms of company social benefits, working hours and holidays, the system of temporary work is still criticized by the employee representatives: "Temporary workers are still before second-class workers, "says AK President Johann Kalliauer, based on the results of a study by the Institute for Social and Economic Sciences (ISW), according to which the amendment is in many cases not implemented in practice. For example, 58 percent of the surveyed works council chairpersons of Upper Austrian companies stated that temporary workers are disadvantaged in company social benefits. 53 percent of the works councils see the temporary workers also in the continuing vocational training and 33 percent disadvantaged in terms of remuneration. According to the study, 15 percentages identify disadvantages in working hours and holidays. Nevertheless, more than 90 percent of respondents rate the amendment to the AÜG as rather or very positive. Kalliauer: "It is gratifying that the changes in the Labor Lending Act have led to some positive steps for some temporary workers. Now they have to be consistently implemented in all companies. "Thomas Grammelhofer from Pro-Ge - The Production Union agrees:" We absolutely need better controls of the transferors and their customers to ensure that the legal provisions of the AÜG be respected."
The Self-Image: "Modern Slaves"
A representative survey of temporary workers shows a bleak picture from the perspective of those affected. 70 percent of those surveyed did not believe in the much-touted chance of being taken over by the company on a permanent basis by temporary workers. Around 45 percent of temporary workers said they were doing the job because they would otherwise find no other job. And the predominant self-image is loud "modern slaves".
Martin K. * is one of around 75.000 temporary workers in Austria. For about three years, the native German seeks a permanent position in the Vienna area. He was already working for five different labor supervisors during this time. The stakes lasted from more than a year to three weeks. "After the deployment follows in the vast majority of cases the termination. Above all, the uncertainty of whether I have work next month is a great burden, "he says from experience. Martin K. is a trained welder, a specialist. As regards the provisions on termination, the AÜG states: "The transferor is obliged to inform the worker in advance two weeks in advance. The obligation does not apply if the end user was objectively unpredictable. "So that means a notice period of just two weeks. But even this is often not adhered to, says unionist Grammelhofer: "After use, the contracts are often resolved amicably. However, workers are under great pressure to agree. After all, they are usually dependent on future job offers of the transferors. "
Precarious topic unemployment
Unemployment through temporary employment is a big problem, especially in the workforce. In this area, employees change their job on average two to 2,5 times a year. Only about 40 percent of the leased workers are employed for more than three months in one and the same establishment. "Especially among workers, unemployment or standing time is a precarious issue," says Grammelhofer. After all, this problem has also been taken into account in the amendment: From January 2014, a social and further education fund will be set up to provide support during the leave-free period. The support will be provided either through one-time financial support or through the financing of training. But also supervisors can derive benefits from it, if they maintain the employment relationship of leased labor after the end of a job. Funding will be provided through contributions from the commercial labor brokers and labor market policy funds.
Temporary work as an economic engine
The advantages and disadvantages for workers and entrepreneurs are manifold. Borrowers benefit particularly when there is peaks in demand, as there is no need to look for and hire regular workers. Flexibility is the magic word here. The labor law responsibility and the bureaucratic effort remain with the lender. And: If the manpower is no longer needed during the economic downturn, it goes back to the agency the next day. Even after the AÜG amendment, flexibility is the key argument for the use of temporary work. The pro-arguments of the advocates of temporary work are easily explained: Temporary work creates new jobs, because thanks to temporary work it is possible for many companies to accept orders that would otherwise not be economically feasible, argues the Chamber of Commerce. The VÖGB - Association of Austrian Trade Union Education - also agrees. It also enables or facilitates (re) entry into the labor market. At least for marginalized groups or workers who are difficult to place, temporary work actually offers an opportunity, writes the VÖGB in a brochure: “Many often return to the regular labor market via the detour of temporary employment, where without this detour - unfortunately and nonsensically - they would not have been hired . ”According to the WKÖ, around 30 percent of contract workers and around 50 percent of temporary employees find permanent jobs in the companies in which they worked. The rest of them see through the fingers - and either become unemployed or stay in temporary employment.
* Name of the editor known
Situation in Austria
Results from a study of temporary workers at the Institute for Social and Economic Sciences (ISW):
Temporary work: Situation in Germany
