The facts in the check

Viennese school caretakers in the burnout trap

70-hour week, hardly any breaks, lots of work. A school caretaker at a Viennese elementary school reports on a daily job routine that drives people into burnout and who are then fired by the local authority. The responsible municipal office counters with figures. A fact check.

Cleaning classes, staircases and corridors, maintaining heating and ventilation systems, lock-out services, disposing of garbage, looking after the sidewalk in winter, repair and assembly work as well as providing assistance in the event of accidents and illnesses among pupils - the list of tasks for school caretakers is long. The 70-hour week can also be found in the official job advertisement. After the children, the sports clubs and adult education centers come into the building with their courses.