A mass rally, organised by UNI affiliates GPA-DJP and VIDA, and supported by the Austrian trade union federation Österreichische Gewerkschaftsbund (OGB), brought together over 4000 protestors outside the headquarter of Vienna health insurance. They came with a united message to the Austrian government, that they were prepared to fight for their healthcare system.
They were demonstrating against new social insurance legislation imposed by Austria’s right wing government which means less worker participation and a degradation of insurance benefits.
The new law forces employees in the private sector to pay for the benefits for those who have private insurance. The only winners from this legislation will be the private insurance companies. What is worse is that the legislation paves the way for ‘fast-tracking’ ambulances for privately insured people into hospitals, creating a three-class social insurance system.
More than 60 % of Austrians are against the legislation and the unions have vowed to continue the fight until the government backs down and repeals the law. UNI Europa stands in solidarity with their fight and offers its full support to the unions and the workers in their struggle.
