Due to the many crises, there are more and more calls for help from the economy. On Tuesday, carpenters, painters and varnishers from the trade and crafts department of the Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) appealed to the federal government for energy support. Painter’s guild master Andreas Denner emphasized: “These cost increases are no longer sustainable and cannot be passed on to customers, because they themselves are greatly burdened by the price increases.”
Employers in the metalworking industry had already warned of a recession in advance. The craftsmen talked about the far-reaching consequences of the high costs for electricity, gas and fuel.
Businesses face challenges
According to division president Renate Scheichelbauer-Schuster, virtually all mostly small and medium-sized companies face challenges they have never faced before. Regardless, the financial situation is tense – during the pandemic, after lockdowns and due to supply chain disruptions:
“In this emergency, we need support that reaches all affected businesses and absorbs these cost increases. You can no longer swallow them yourself,” says Scheichelbauer-Schuster.
Electricity costs tripled”
The carpenter’s guild master of 11,044 industry colleagues, Gerhard Spitzbart, complained that “there are no fixed bases of calculation – you feel that you are being exposed to the vagaries of an electricity price exchange with incomprehensible rules”. In his own business, electricity costs are likely to triple from the last 40,000 to a maximum of 120,000 euros. “And maybe the ceiling hasn’t been reached yet.”
“Traditional products and services not for sale”
The painting and varnishing companies also agree to the requirement: “Our companies must use particularly energy-intensive spraying and heating boxes and cannot switch to cheap alternatives,” complained painter guild master Andreas Denner. “These cost jumps are no longer sustainable and cannot be passed on to customers, as they themselves are heavily burdened by the price increases.”
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
