Minister of Labor and Economy Martin Kocher (ÖVP) spoke out on Friday evening in the “ZiB 2” against the suspension of the sales tax (USt) on food. This is “not right”, as such a measure would target all people, not just the bottom third of incomes.
Solutions should always be sustainable and discussed with experts. That is why it can take a while before a project is implemented, explains Kocher at the request of Armin Wolf. He had noted that the government had already announced a food calculator in May, but that it would not follow until the autumn. Kocher also does not think it makes sense to limit price increases during construction. Such a move would only result in fewer homes being built and rents will certainly continue to rise.
In short, Kocher estimates that inflation (8 percent in June) will fall to five to six percent in the coming months. The difference with Germany is currently being reduced.
facilitate movements
Another focus of the “ZiB 2” conversation was the current situation in the labor market. Unemployment has risen slightly since the beginning of the summer and vacancies have fallen. There are large regional differences. Unemployment is high in Vienna, for example, and significantly lower in Tyrol. Kocher currently sees a weak economy and a catch-up effect of Corona in insolvencies.
While some of his reforms, such as unemployment benefits, have failed, he is confident. Together with the social partners, he wants to create extra opportunities on the spot so that a move works better for those who want it – according to him, especially unattached people. However, the reasonableness provisions would not be tightened. In addition, AMS mediation needs to be improved.
Complete freedom of choice for parents
There should be full freedom of choice for parents in the labor market, for example through off-peak and holiday childcare, as well as all working time options. A mere legal right to childcare, as repeatedly demanded by the SPÖ and trade unions, is not enough. The communities should also be supported to implement childcare widely.
With regard to educational leave, which was recently criticized by the Court of Auditors as “government-funded leave”, Kocher stated that this was essentially a good thing and that the German government was already introducing educational leave following the Austrian model. But it needs to be more accurate so that it serves the labor market and people can use it as an additional qualification. The length and different variants such as a part-time course are negotiable.
The Chamber of Labor (AK) recently proposed a higher income for the period of educational leave. Currently, only highly qualified people can afford such a time, she stressed.
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
