Urgently wanted everywhere: workers! -news.wko.at
That’s what politics in Austria has been since the desired goal: A return to full employment. This has been achieved in Salzburg and also in some other federal states – thanks to an investment boom in companies and sustained consumer sentiment among the population after more than two years of the pandemic. In June, the unemployment rate in Salzburg fell to 2.9%, which was topped again in July with a (provisional) rate of 2.8%.
Tyrol and Salzburg go ahead
In all categories and regions, the unemployment rate has fallen by double digits compared to July 2021, with strong declines being recorded in the districts of Salzburg, such as Pongau (-27%) or Pinzgau (-26.6%). Across Austria, the unemployment rate was still 5.6%, but also the lowest value since July 2008. Only in Tyrol, at 2.7%, is unemployment even lower than in Salzburg. Tyrol and Salzburg are also the federal states in which unemployment has fallen the most, in Tyrol by 22.1% and in Salzburg by 20.7%. The sectors that stand out in Salzburg in terms of the fall in unemployment are trade (-22.6%), production (-21.3%), transport/warehousing (+19.2%) and tourism (- 19.7%).
Month-to-month employment record
At the same time, Salzburg employers (including the public sector) have never filled as many jobs as they do now. In July 2022, 8,000 more people were employed than in July 2021, an increase of 3.1%. 277,000 people are currently employed, more than ever before. “Salzburg’s employers did not cut any jobs after the Corona crisis, on the contrary: Despite the Ukraine war and inflation, companies are more than ever committed to making jobs available,” states WKS President Peter Buchmüller. He points to the downside of the “robust labor market situation” (Labor and Economics Minister Kocher): While unemployment is falling on all fronts, the number of vacancies reported to the AMS continues to rise. And with enormous growth rates: almost 36% more vacancies were reported compared to July 2021. There are currently 13,000 jobs being offered in Salzburg, with around 9,770 unemployed and training participants. According to the AMS, around 140,000 jobs are immediately available throughout Austria.
“We are affected by the labor shortage in all areas, be it in the office, in the technical area, in the field sales force or in the service area. You can’t get people with methods anymore. The shortage of workers has not yet had an impact on sales, but it puts a heavy strain on the existing employees because they have to somehow compensate for the shortage of staff.”
“We are currently creating a total of 50 employees who are divided between sales and the tailoring. But we have great worries about the future: Nobody learns tailoring these days. We still train apprentices, but they are then poached away from us. Corona has also contributed to the fact that the willingness to work has decreased significantly among young people. That’s why we’re struggling with local youth concerns.”
Renewed calls for labor market reform
The true demand for workers is likely to be much higher, since not all companies report to the AMS. For WKS President Buchmüller, the current labor market data should be called for again on every occasion – as a strategy against the shortage of workers – a reform of unemployment insurance.
In the meantime, the labor shortage has become a massive risk factor in the economy, affecting almost all companies. According to an analysis by the WKÖ (skilled worker radar 2022), 73% of companies feel a severe or very severe shortage of skilled workers.
Companies now consider the general labor shortage to be the greater risk than energy prices or delivery bottlenecks: 82% of the companies surveyed as part of the current WKÖ economic barometer (July 2022) assume that the labor shortage WILL continue in the future. This seems realistic, because there is now a lack of young people for apprenticeships, for example, as the Salzburg AMS values show: 1,403 open apprenticeships (+24%!) compared to 305 apprenticeship seekers (-13.4%) in July – even if the number of apprenticeship trainees has again increased by 4%.
“The main problem is that we are getting fewer apprentices. If we had around 15 apprentices in recent years, this year there are six. We have a shortage of staff both in the kitchen and in service. Since we look after our employees because we will continue to need them in the fall, we are forced to reduce business. That is, play either the terrace shop or the restaurant inside. You can’t do both.”
“The shortage of workers and skilled workers has also hit us. Unfortunately, it is now the order of the day for employees to be enticed away by other companies. With us, PAYMENTS are already paid above the collective agreement. but we can only keep our staff by creating a family atmosphere for them in which they feel comfortable. New working time models will certainly have to be considered for the future.”
There is full employment
War and the Ukraine war are not yet reflected in the labor market data. These are cheaper than ever.
- 2.8% unemployment rate.
- 277,000 employees (+3.1%), a new employment record.
- 20.7% drop in unemployment.
- By 15.5% decrease for unemployed under 25 years, -23.1% for unemployed over 50 years.
- A drop of 46.6% for the long-term unemployed.
More than ever, however, there is a clear gap between apprenticeships and apprentices throughout Austria:
- At the end of July, the nationwide mathematical overhang of apprenticeship positions was 9,298. It has thus accepted by 4,803 (106.9%) compared to July 2021.
- Vacancies for apprenticeships in Salzburg at the end of July: +35.9% to 1,403.
- Apprenticeship seekers: -13.4% to 305.
- +4% more apprenticeship starts (2,245) as of July 31.