“Satisfactory measures” to improve the working conditions in the kindergartens demand GPA and younion from LH deputy Christine Haberlander (VP). The country’s six million euro package that she has put together is not enough for them. They give Haberlander time until October 31, otherwise there will be a strike, said GPA Managing Director Wolfgang Gerstmayer on Wednesday. Otherwise facilities remain closed.
There was no reaction to the threat from the Haberlander office, the club chairman of the Upper Austrian People’s Party Christian Dörfel jumped in. He was surprised at the “position of the confrontation”, because after all the unions were involved in the talks on the kindergarten package. That’s not true, the unions were “in no way involved in the preparation of the package of measures”. There were only preliminary talks, and Haberlander “unilaterally created” the measures, Gerstamyer and younion state secretary Mario Kalod state.
Educators “discredited”
Dörfel’s reaction was a “clumsy attempt” to “discredit” educators and their concerns. The club chairman accused the unions of “permanently badmouthing important job profiles” and thus damaging “the image of entire professional groups”. This is not only a “wrong” but also a “cheap attempt” to stir up a lack of understanding for the union’s protests, says Gerstmayer.
He calls on Dörfel to withdraw his claims “immediately”.
far from reality
Dörfl received support yesterday from Linz’s Deputy Mayor and party colleague Martin Hajart. He spoke in favor of the country’s package of measures, saying that “the measures had to be given time”. The fact that Daniela Gebauer, Chairwoman of the Kinderfreunde works council, described the kindergarten facilities as “mere storage facilities” on Wednesday shows how “remote from reality GPA and younion” are. How should the vacancies be filled if there are no staff at all, Hajart reacts to the union demand for more staff. You could have talked to the kindergarten providers, like the city of Linz, before threatening to go on strike.
Hajart proposes a “grandmother’s service”: Retired educators could be employed part-time in the kindergartens in order to relieve the other staff and fill gaps. In addition, “crash courses” could be offered.
Source: Nachrichten
