Chamber Comes to the Rescue of a Cook
First a pittance, then fired: Now 8,900 euros!
Ten months of working flat out in the kitchen of a chic Viennese pinsa restaurant, then she was fired. The Vienna Chamber of Labor (AK Wien) won 8,900 euros for the cook in court. The cruel twist: The experienced professional worked for a pittance for a long time.
The reviews on Google Maps were glowing: The food at the trendy pinsa restaurant in central Vienna was praised by guests, some in the highest terms. The 42-year-old cook who worked in the kitchen there, however, saw little of that. After ten months on the job, she suddenly found herself without a job—and without a cent of the wages she was owed.
The first few months at 955 euros gross
Initially just 20 hours a week—for a mere 955 euros gross per month, a real pittance. The boss was nevertheless clearly satisfied: After three months, they agreed on full-time. From then on, the woman earned 1,950 euros gross per month.
But the more she did, the less her employer seemed to appreciate it. The logic behind it is cynical: During the summer season, he needed her for 20 hours; starting in the fall, for 40—and when the season changed, she was simply supposed to be gone.
With this personnel policy, the restaurant industry will certainly not get the skilled labor shortage under control.
Ludwig Dvořàk, AK Wien
Bild: LISI SPECHT
Refused to sign—and still fired
Six months after switching to full-time, the employer pressured the woman to agree to a mutual termination of her employment. She refused to sign. What followed was brazen: The boss suddenly claimed the cook had been “too inflexible” regarding schedule changes—and issued a “termination with immediate effect.”
Ludwig Dvořák, head of the labor law advisory division at the Vienna Chamber of Labor, clarifies: “Termination with immediate effect can only be agreed upon by mutual consent. In the case of a normal termination, there is always a notice period during which wages must continue to be paid.” In short: The boss simply had no right to do so.
8,900 euros: The court speaks plainly
The cook turned to the Vienna Chamber of Labor. Together, they filed a lawsuit for unpaid wages, special payments, severance pay, and vacation pay. The Labor and Social Court ruled in the woman’s favor: she was awarded 8,900 euros gross. The employer has still not paid the full amount—the Vienna Chamber of Labor continues to support the cook in this matter.
“This is not how you solve a skilled labor shortage”
For Dvořák, this is not an isolated case. “Unfortunately, we often see such cases in the restaurant industry: unpredictable work schedules and a ‘hire-and-fire’ personnel policy. This won’t work for skilled workers in the restaurant industry. Instead, the industry must offer fair working conditions and wages,” the expert warns.
This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.
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