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Labor Market Policy


Lopatka Demands Reform for Austrian Railways

State Secretary Lopatka demands Minister of Infrastructure Bures to tackle the expensive pension system at the Austrian Railways by doing away with privliges for emplyoees in order to unburden tax payers.
September 4, 2013


Alpine: Creditors in Austria and Poland Claim Refunds

Not only the labor market in Austria is burdened but also thousands of creditors have invested in bonds of the construction company and are now facing enormous losses.
September 4, 2013


President Fischer Urges Austria to “Roll Up Sleeves“

In regard to the current election campaigns, the Austrian President Heinz Fischer has urged the parties for joint efforts.
September 4, 2013


Polish Alpine Files for Bankruptcy in Vienna

More affiliates of Alpine are affected.
September 3, 2013


German Affiliate of Alpine Sold

By the selling of the German affiliate of construction company Alpine 520 out of 1,250 employees will lose their jobs.
September 2, 2013


Austria: Unemployment Quota Increased to 6.9 Percent in August

The gradual economic recovery has not yet reached the domestic labor market. The number of jobseekers in Austria has increased by 323,111 persons compared to the previous year.
September 2, 2013


Alpine: Nine out of Ten Former Employees Have a Job

90 percent of former Alpine employees have a new job. However, 404 persons are still looking for a new employment.
August 30, 2013


Eurozone: Unemployment at 12.1 Percent

A total number of 26.7 million persons in the European Union are unemployed, according to estimates by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union,
August 30, 2013


Serbia: SMEs Driver for Economy

Serbia's private sector employs 45% of the total number of employees.
August 30, 2013


EU Commissioner Sees First Signs of Economic Turn-Around

EU Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs Olli Rehn can see the first signs of an economic turn-around in the European Union.
August 29, 2013


Kapsch: Enormous Problems at Austrian Business Location

President of Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) Georg Kapsch confirms the criticism voiced by President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO) Christoph Leitl and several other politicians by the Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP).
August 28, 2013


Austrian Economy Minister: “No Time for Idle Complacency”

Austrian Minister of Economics and former general secretary of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO), Reinhold Mitterlehner avoids any dispute with Christoph Leitl, President of WKO but signals a different opinion.
August 27, 2013


Alpine: Former Employees to Receive Wages

Almost 5,000 former employees of bankrupt construction company Alpine can feel relieved as this week the insolvency contingency fund will start with settlements. However, creditors will only be given a rate of five percent.
August 27, 2013


Austria: First Chancellor’s Duel

Chancellor Werner Faymann (SPÖ) and Deputy Chancellor Michael Spindelegger (ÖVP) had their first official chancellor’s duel on TV on Monday. However, people waiting for a major dispute had been disppointed.
August 27, 2013


Faymann: Joint Combat against Unemployment

During a meeting with Slovenian Prime Minister Bratusek and Croatian Prime Minister Milanovic and Austria’s second biggest city Graz, Austrian Chancellor Faymann pointed out the governments’ key tasks.
August 23, 2013


Austria: “Painful Cuts“ at RBI

According to the most recent results, the bank has losses in profits of more then 60 percent. A strict cost reduction program
August 22, 2013


Romanians Not Satisfied with Wages

More than half of Romanian employees claim not to be paid enough for their work.
August 22, 2013


Eurozone: Strongest Growth Rates in Two Years

The Eurozone continues to recover. Businesses in industrial production and in the service sector increased to a new high in more than two years. However, growth in both sectors is still not enough for the creation of new jobs.
August 22, 2013


Leitl: “Austria Screwed Up”

If the US, as the perpetrator of the financial and economic crisis, shows two percent in economic growth, while Austria only 0.2 percent, then this was a “disgrace”, Leitl announced during the economic forum in Alpbach.
August 21, 2013


Austria: Spindelegger Demands Flexibility of Working Hours

Working hours have become the main issue of the election campaigns. The dispute was incensed by the claims of Minister of Economy Mitterlehner to allow up to twelve hours of work per day.
August 19, 2013


Austria: Alpine Creditors Register € 2.29bn

The downfall of construction company Alpine, the biggest bankruptcy in the history of the second Republic, has not been finished yet.
August 19, 2013


Austria: Alpine-Energie to be Taken Over by Triton

Former affiliate of construction company Alpine Bau Alpine-Energie, which is based in Linz and was temporarily “parked” with a special company, has a new owner.
August 13, 2013


Romania: Significant Drop in Purchase Power

General consumption climate is unfavorable in Europe at the moment.
August 12, 2013


Austria: Spindelegger Wants Reform Government

The next government has to be a “reform government”, according to Austrian Vice Chancellor Michael Spindelegger, since the one in office now has only shown little reform zeal.
August 9, 2013


Austria: Banks Indignant At Chancellor Faymann

Chancellor Werner Faymann has started the election campaign with an attack against the banks. However, CEO of Bank Austria Willibald Cernko points out that the banking industry secures 70,000 jobs in Austria.
August 9, 2013


Romania: Good Prospects for Economic Upturn

In Romania, the inflation forecast for 2013 and for 2014 has been lowered to 3.1 percent which is 0.1 percent less compared to previous figures.
August 9, 2013


Wifo: Economic Growth with Brakes On

Economic upswing will take time. Considering the individual branches an uneven picture emerges.
August 9, 2013


Czech Republic: Will Rusnok Remain in Parliament?

Today, August 7, 2013, the members of parliament in Prague will carry out a vote on confidence on the new government of Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok. It is unlikely that Rusnok will remain in parliament.
August 7, 2013


Austria: Leitl Demands Impulses for Growth and Employment

Enterprises need to be motivated instead of being burded by further taxes, President of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKO) Christoph Leitl argues.
August 1, 2013


Serbia: No Early Elections Despite of Break of Coalition

Dismissal of Finance Minister Mladjan Dinkic. URS is leaving the governmental alliance. Despite of a break of the coalition, there will be no early elections in Serbia.
July 31, 2013


Slovenia: New Record for People Leaving the Country

According to the Statistics Office, the number of Slovenian citizens moving from the country came to a new record in 2012.
July 31, 2013


Trend: Service Industry Drifts to CESEE

Lower costs in the service sector in CESEE countries, particularly Romania, are compensated by higher expenditures in securing quality standards.
July 30, 2013


EVN Forced to Lower Electriciy Prices in Bulgaria

Austrian energy provider EVN is ordered by the regulator to drop electricity prices.
July 30, 2013


Slovenia Lures Russian Investors

Slovenia invites Russian investors to participate in privatization plans.
July 30, 2013


Two Interested Parties for Hypo Alpe Adria Italia

Two investors have shown their interest for the take-over of Italian affiliate of nationalized Hypo Alpe Adria. Banca Popolare di Vicenza and a British-Indian Group are claimed of being interested.
July 29, 2013


Zumtobel Takes Over Chinese Affiliate

Listed light manufacturer Zumtobel Group has taken over the stakes of joint-venture partner Thorn Lighting Tianjin Limited.
July 29, 2013


Slovenia: Economy to Shrink Despite of Austerity Measures

Slovenian economy expected to contract 2.2 percent in 2013. Prior forecast: -1.9 percent.
July 26, 2013


Austria: 82 Percent of Alpine Employees With New Jobs

After the construction company’s bankruptcy, 82 percent of Alpine employees have found a new job again. Around 100 persons are still working on the winding up of the company.
July 25, 2013


Czech Republic: Gloomy Prospects for Economy

The Czech economy is shrinking. According to experts, new Prime Minister Jiri Rusnok will not be able to change much. Enterprises have started to cut back on investments.
July 12, 2013


Austrian Economy Dependent on Neighbor Countries

Austria’s economy is getting through the crisis better than the Eurozone. However, the country owes this partly to neighboring countries.
July 11, 2013


Spindelegger: Fitness Program for Austria

Austrian economy supposed to be boosted by reforms of “Unternehmen Österreich 2025, and a rejection of new taxes.
July 10, 2013


Poland: Measures to Increase Employment

The polish government approved a package of measues becoming effective by 2014 to improve the situation on the labor market.
July 10, 2013


Serbia: Fight against Unemployment Key Aim of Government

Serbia's Government aims to cut down unemployment to below 20 percent and tries to attract new investors.
July 9, 2013


Poland: NBP Downgrades Forecasts for GDP and CPI

The National Bank of Poland (NBP) downgrades GDP and CPI forecasts over next two years.
July 9, 2013


Alpine: Enormous Credit Default Rate

The rate for Alpine creditors declines day by day while the rate of the Trade Unions is immense. Almost all employees of Alpine were looking for help and advice.
July 8, 2013


Austria: Moderate Economic Upturn

After one year of a phase of stagnation, the Austrian economy shows recovery, according to the results of economic indicator by the OeNB (Austrian National Bank).
July 5, 2013


Bulgarian Interior Ministry Going Bankrupt over Mass Protests

According to Interior Minister Tsvetlin Iovchev the security of the public order at the protests has cost the taxpayers BGN 3m.
July 5, 2013


Bank Austria to Close 67 Subsidiaries

UniCredit Affiliate Bank Austria plans to close 67 subsidiaries – a quarter of its 270 stores for private costumers until 2015.
July 3, 2013


Alpine Holding: Insolvency Proceedings Now Official

The insolvency proceedings for Alpine Holding have now officially started at the Commercial Court in Vienna. Liabilities come at € 700m.
July 2, 2013