Industry ad AK Vienna: Demands for new taxes and reductions in working hours in the midst of the recession are irresponsible

The industry is once again criticizing the Vienna Chamber of Labor’s repeated demands for new taxes and a reduction in working hours. At a time when Austria is struggling with a recession, from the industry’s point of view these are not only absurd, but also endanger the business location and demonstrate economic shortsightedness.

“Instead of relying on relief for companies and employees in times of recession, there are repeated calls for additional burdens on domestic industry and the economy,” said the Industrial Association (IV). The snooping and death taxes place an additional burden on companies that are already struggling with the weak economy. In the recently held National Council elections, the population clearly rejected these outdated tax concepts.

Even in the discussion about reducing working hours, everyone has now understood that this calculation cannot work. Calling for a reduction in working hours while keeping wages the same in the middle of a recession, even though the overall volume of work has been steadily falling for years, shows the lack of seriousness of these proposals. “It is more important to support people who enjoy working and want to work more. Those who do more should also be rewarded – for example, through tax exemption for overtime and a tax allowance of 5,000 euros when switching from part-time to full-time. We can get out of the recession through relief and incentives, not through additional burdens,” said the industrial association.