No childcare

Opening hours hardly allow for full-time employment

Manuela Auer, Regional Managing Director of ÖGB Vorarlberg with ÖGB Regional Director Reinhard Stemmer and ÖGB Vice President Korinna Schumann (from left).(Bild: ÖGB Vorarlberg)

Red trade unionists insist on more childcare places and better opening hours. Only then would many women be able to return to work full-time. This would not only benefit them, but also the economy, argues ÖGB Vice President Korinna Schumann during her visit to Vorarlberg.

"If you want a good workforce, you need the best education for our children," said ÖGB regional chairman Reinhard Stemmer at a press conference on Thursday. The expansion of children's education must be declared a central task for politicians in the coming years, added ÖGB Vice President Korinna Schumann. In her view, massive investment in the education sector is necessary, as this is the only way to combat the labor shortage in the long term.

Part-time rate for women
What is particularly striking in Vorarlberg is that the part-time rate for women, at 52.6 percent, is significantly higher than the national average. "Women are the key in the fight against labor shortages," explains Schumann. However, the opening hours of the various facilities often do not allow for full-time work. If childcare is not guaranteed, this is a vicious circle for families and the economy.

Women are therefore forced to limit their employment or give it up completely. This not only leads to a loss of income, but also makes career advancement opportunities much more difficult and reinforces the income inequality between men and women.

Stemmer also takes issue with the time available: "The opening hours in Vorarlberg, especially in the toddler sector, still do not allow for full-time employment. The jubilation about the childcare rates is deceptive if the opening hours don't fit."