Cook (56) has been denied a 12-hour day – licensed – Vienna

Fatma B. (56) worked for nearly 20 years as a kitchen badistant in a Viennese restaurant chain. Then, according to a statement from the Arbeiterkammer Wien, his boss asked him to either work 12 hours a day from 1 September or to dismiss him.

AK President, Renate Anderl, said: "That's exactly what we feared: since the 12-hour law came into force, employers are putting pressure on them. In this case, an employer apparently used the 12-hour law to get rid of an older worker. "

Roman Hebenstreit, from the union vida, added that Fatma was not the only one to be touched in her business. But many colleagues are afraid to fight back. "Of course, there can be no question of this Husch-Pfusch law because employees are and remain economically dependent."

"Asocial policy"

SPÖ's social spokesperson, Josef Muchitsch, has already reported on the case and said: "The turquoise blue law on working time invites low-profile employers to separate from their employees at lower cost. " to put pressure on them to defend their claims, the Working Time Act needs to be amended again as soon as possible. "

The voluntary character written by law in black and blue simply does not exist. "In Austria, there is no general protection against dismissal, which is why there is also no voluntary nature with regard to the 12-hour day and the week. 60 hours, and we have always warned against this – the victim of black and blue working hours.Unfortunately, the policy has confirmed our fears. "

Fatma B. has been working part-time since 1999 in a restaurant in the Viennese district of Leopoldstadt, Vienna. On August 31, after nearly 20 years, she was called to talk to the boss. He set him the daily 12 o'clock ultimatum, put him under pressure. She looked for compromise and proposed working 40 hours a week. She can not heal herself 12 hours a day. However, the offer was not sufficient for the employer.

The boss presented him with a letter confirming that the employment relationship ended on 14 September "by mutual agreement". Fatma B. wanted to consult first, but the boss did not let her out of the room before she signed. Then he sent her home.

Then she was able to speak to a confidant and then go to the workers' chamber, also reported to the ÖGB. Although the termination of employment is unlikely to be effective, the employee did not want to challenge her because she simply did not want to continue working in such a work atmosphere and the Employer was informed in writing that Fatma B. was ready to work until 14 September. but sent home by the boss, and was therefore released ", the case is described in more detail.

The AK had asked the employee to pay six monthly installments. Four months later, she would have missed her twentieth anniversary of service and her severance pay would have been nine months. AK President, Renate Anderl, said: "In this case, an employer apparently used the 12-hour law to get rid of an older worker – and saw himself spared from money when registering. "

Vida told Fatma that she was not the only one of her farm to be forced to spend 12 hours a day. Especially colleagues over 50 were invited to work 12 hours a day. "However, they did not have the courage of Ms. B. In order not to lose their jobs, most of them accepted the new hour of inhuman work."

Since 1 September, the new law on working time is in force. It allows the 12-hour day and the 60-hour week "on a voluntary basis". This voluntary character has always been questioned by many parties, in particular by employee representatives. It was also disputed that the law had been pbaded without expert judgment.

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