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The latest considerations by Labor and Economics Minister Martin Kocher (ÖVP) to abolish preferential treatment for part-time work caused waves to rise. “If people voluntarily work less, then there is less reason to pay social benefits,” the minister was quoted as saying in the “Kurier” in mid-February. Kocher later qualified his suggestion. Mothers with care responsibilities are exempt, he is primarily concerned with young people without care responsibilities or health restrictions.
On Sunday evening, the Minister of Labor was interviewed by Martin Thür in “ZiB 2” on this subject. In the conversation, Kocher reiterated his demand to make full-time work more attractive again. He reiterated that people with care responsibilities and those with health conditions should not be affected by any deterioration in part-time work.
“It’s not about cutting social benefits or taking something away from someone,” said the ÖVP politician. But you have to be prepared for the fact that there will be fewer workers in the coming years due to demographic developments. Many would retire in the next few years, and at the same time companies would need more staff. It is therefore important “to have a non-emotional debate about work,” says Kocher. In order to be able to maintain the social system in its current form, more people would have to work full-time. Concrete solutions are not yet available, said the minister. He hopes for a “fact-based debate on how we want to shape society”.
It is important that people can work more if they want to and that it is also financially more attractive. There are more and more people who work part-time voluntarily. Here it is an important step to remove obstacles. This includes a rapid expansion of childcare. That is “of course” the task of politics, but also of companies. The federal, state, local authorities and companies would have to work more closely together here, said the Minister of Labor.
Video: Labor Minister Martin Kocher (ÖVP) in conversation with Martin Thür:
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