Unions call on employers to address key issues in care sector

Austria

The GPA-djp and vida private service unions have welcomed the fact that employers in the social care sector have finally acknowledged how staffing shortages can be addressed and that the home care system, in particular, will only be able to function if pay and conditions are improved. The unions regret that the opportunity to deal with important issues like roster-planning and split shifts was missed in recent negotiations covering the sector and that implementation of additional payments for social care assistants, specialist care assistants and graduates was far from problem-free. The unions have called on the employers to discuss whay can be done to improve pay and conditions outside the normal collective bargaining process.