It’s a similar picture every year: In mid-November, construction companies report a large proportion of their employees as unemployed, only to hire them again at the beginning of the next construction season. There is a separate reinstatement commitment for this. This year, however, some things are likely to change in this structure.
The poor order situation in the construction industry, especially in private residential construction, will mean that companies will register workers with the AMS earlier this year, says the guild master of the construction industry, Norbert Hartl. “I expect that small construction companies that are active in the construction of single-family houses will be particularly affected. This development is currently not foreseeable in commercial and industrial construction,” says Hartl.
According to AMS boss Gerhard Straßer, the construction industry in Upper Austria reports an average of 7,000 workers unemployed. “I’m afraid there will be more this year,” says Hartl.
Above all, however, this year more employees without a promise of reinstatement would be sent to stamp. Hartl confirms that. The order situation does not allow this for a number of companies.
This puts the construction industry in a dilemma. Because without a promise of employment, the unemployed workers can be freely placed. “And we urgently need people who we can place,” says Straßer. Good bricklayers or carpenters are in great demand. Should the construction industry then pick up again, the question arises as to which staff will be used to process the new orders. “Good and experienced people usually have an emotional bond with the company. I hope that this will last,” says Hartl.
However, some companies, especially larger ones, are optimistic.
Wimberger Managing Director Christian Wimberger assumes “that we will start again in March.” It also depends on the incoming orders in the next two to three months. Recently it has become a little less, but the areas of renewable energy sources, renovations, additions and conversions have increased. Wimberger will not register more employees with the AMS than usual, and will give all specialists who are wanted again a re-employment promise. Wimberger has 860 employees.
More business in renovations
100 to 140 employees went to Wolf Systembau in the last winter. This is also the case this year, everyone will be reinstated, says managing director Thomas Stadler: “We have 300 prefabricated houses on order.” That takes another year to capacity. In addition, the development is of course uncertain. Wolf has 650 employees. “We are well positioned with house, hall and container construction. We have also established a new area for renovations, additions and conversions,” says Stadler.
Genböck Haus in Haag am Hausruck employs 90 people. “We are on schedule and will again not be deregistering any employees in the winter,” says Managing Director Helmut Möseneder.
The Habau Group will register “around 1,200 employees with the AMS early warning system in good time before the start of winter,” as CEO Hubert Wetschnig explains. Due to the weather, this primarily affects road construction. You will again give 90 percent a reinstatement commitment. The Swietelsky Group reports “well-filled order books”. According to CEO Karl Weidlinger, the company is sticking to the practice of making promises of reinstatement to proven employees.
Source: Nachrichten
