Reactions after rejection

Fuss about work foundation after Kika/Leiner bankruptcy

Even ÖVP politicians appeal to the responsible FPÖ state councillor, SPÖ party leader announces an urgent motion in the state parliament.

These are sad Advent days for the employees of the Kika/Leiner chain. The former flagship furniture store has slipped into bankruptcy, the 1350 employees - more than 600 of them in Lower Austria - are losing their jobs. And what help are they getting from the state?

Provincial councillor against employment foundation
Susanne Rosenkranz (FPÖ), the provincial councillor responsible for the labor market, is reportedly against an employment foundation. And the Employees' Union of the Lower Austrian People's Party is advising those affected to switch to care professions.

We support the union in its call for a work foundation for the Kika/Leiner employees who were made redundant shortly before Christmas.

Hannes Weninger, SPÖ-Klubobmann im Landtag

Bild: Werner Jäger

SPÖ triggers debate in state parliament
This leads to some strong reactions: "The cold shoulder of the FPÖ provincial councillor and the ignorance of the ÖVP are intolerable," rages Hannes Weninger. The SPÖ club chairman in the state parliament is calling for the establishment of a permanent employment foundation by means of an urgent motion. "As other sectors are also currently facing insolvencies and waves of redundancies, the state and the employment service must urgently help," emphasizes the Social Democrat.

The fate of the long-established St. Pölten company, but also of its employees in particular, affects us all.

Florian Krumböck, ÖVP-Abgeordneter und Stadtrat in St. Pölten

Bild: (c) Daniel Strobl

Politicians in St. Pölten are backing down
And even within the ranks of the People's Party, similar demands are already being made. Florian Krumböck, ÖVP member of parliament and city councillor in St. Pölten, where the Kika/Leiner headquarters are located, is calling for "talks between the trade union, AMS and the state of Lower Austria to set up a work foundation". Incidentally, this proposal was also supported by the FPÖ in the town hall of the provincial capital.