“Praise on the day of general interest is not enough!”

Tomorrow, Monday, the day of general interest is. The focus is on those services that enable our modern life in the first place. These include:

• The health and social benefits

• The energy and water supply

• The waste disposal

• public transport

• many other services, such as street cleaning, the operation of libraries and swimming pools, the elementary education, etc.

Above all, they are the community providers who are employed in general interest. They are in use 365 days a year and around the clock – even in severe crises. With a pandemic as well as with floods.

“The employees in general services earn appreciation and respect. They work highly motivated and this under difficult conditions,” says Christian Meidlinger, chairman of the Younion _ the existence union.

Meidlinger addresses four major problems in general interest:

• Lack of staff. For example, in the health sector or in elementary education, new colleagues are desperately sought. The existing staff is already working at the load limit and sometimes also about it. Christian Meidlinger: “We need quick action from politics and not just declarations of intent. The situation is dramatic.”

• Financial situation of cities and municipalities. The vast majority of services are offered by cities and municipalities. However, they currently have big financing problems. Around half of the municipalities are in front of the bankruptcy. Christian Meidlinger: “In the past few years, the federal government has given the cities and municipalities more and more tasks, but not ensured financing. Even the most economical municipalities are now in need. There are more funds from the federal government, a rapid increase in property tax and clear regulations if a municipality is actually insolent.”

• Jobs adapted to climate change. Many employees of general interest are in the field or work in poorly insulated and non -chilled buildings. Christian Meidlinger: “In the increasingly frequent and more intensive heat phases, work becomes a health risk. Those responsible must finally take the problem seriously and quickly find individual solutions.”

• Missing recognition. Again and again there are voices that demand a zero -wage round in the public service. Christian Meidlinger: “Wanting to take out hard -working money from the desk of hard work is ultimately class. With this kind of ‘recognition’ it becomes even more difficult to find new colleagues.”

Christian Meidlinger concludes: “Politics are happy to use the day of general interest to praise and applaud. But what the employees of general interest and cultural and sports sector actually need are tangible solutions.”