Unions call for bonus for health and care workers

Austria

The younion and GÖD public sector unions, representing around 120000 workers in health and social care have called on the Austrian Chancellor to stand by his commitment to improve pay for those working in intensive care during the pandemic. The two unions underline that their demand covers all health and care workers, not just intensive care staff, as they are all part of an essential team and need to work together to deliver care and who have endured significant physical and mental challenges in maintaining services. Younion and GÖD are calling for a tax-free €1000 bonus for all health and care staff, which they argue would be a big contribution to the country’s recovery plan, injecting extra demand into the economy. The unions emphasise that this only one element of the response to the crisis which has exposed longstanding problems in understaffing. The unions want to see a major offensive to boost training as a key step increasing recruitment to the sectors.

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