Who is liable?

Debacle over uniforms costing millions: Pressure mounts

Wet and frozen through—according to paramedics, the new uniforms protect against neither the cold nor precipitation. Concerns have also been raised that staff may resign.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Rotes Kreuz/Tober)

Since the introduction of the new uniforms at the Styrian Red Cross, complaints have been pouring in from within the organization. First responders report serious defects—ranging from inadequate weather protection to manufacturing flaws. Many sensitive questions remain unanswered.

Jackets and pants that don’t protect against cold, rain, and snow, wrong sizes, broken Velcro fasteners, torn-off buttons, logos sewn on upside down, and much more: For months, Red Cross emergency responders from all Styrian districts have been documenting defects in the new uniforms, which were introduced just under a year ago. However: There has been no response to date to their requests to address these problems comprehensively— we have reported on this.

Piles of complaints
This also put Central Works Council member Hermann Matlschweiger under increasing pressure, as he told the “Krone”: “Complaints have been piling up here, and I’ve always passed them on.” The employee representative is pleased that action is finally being taken: “We’ve been promised that the uniforms will be replaced step by step.”

Just a small sample of the issues(Bild: Krone KREATIV)

In fact, there are numerous internal letters documenting the urgency of the problem, which are in the possession of the editorial staff. For example, one affected employee described after a shift at the Nightrace in Schladming that all staff members were frozen through and soaked to the skin. In his email to his superiors, he also asks why “other clubs manage to equip their staff adequately, but we don’t?”

Who is responsible for the damages?
The uniforms were purchased through the Red Cross company “Einkauf und Service.” The state of Styria allocated two million euros for the initial equipment—when asked, Styrian rescue commander Peter Hansak could not provide any information on the total costs. It also remains unclear whether there was a competitive bidding process for the procurement and who is responsible for covering the resulting damages.