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Covid-19: Austria set to require proof of 3G in workplaces

Austria looks likely to introduce a law requiring proof of 3G in workplaces, after a government agreement meant the centre-left opposition will no longer block the law.

Published: 19 October 2021 16:42 CEST
Updated: 20 October 2021 09:07 CEST
Office workers on laptops
A sudden U-turn by the centre-left SPÖ means plans to require 3G proof to enter workplaces can go ahead. Photo: fauxels/Pexels

On Tuesday, Austria’s conservative-green government reached an agreement with the centre-left Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ) in the Federal Council to pave the way for the introduction of 3G (requiring proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative Covid-19 test) in the workplace.

The SPÖ demanded a continuation of free Covid-19 tests past the end of October in the event of 3G in the workplace, which has now been agreed by the governing coalition parties.

In return, the SPÖ will not block the law as it said it planned to do earlier, and more details about exactly how the law change would be formulated and when it will come into effect are expected to be announced in the coming days. The opposition parties have previously unanimously voted against the new law, but SPÖ’s support means the law should pass.

READ ALSO: ‘3G Rule’: How to show you have been vaccinated, tested or recovered from Covid in Austria

A 3G requirement in the workplace means anyone that does not work alone will have to show proof of vaccination, recovery or a negative Covid-19 test. It is still unclear if there will be additional mask requirements for people with a negative test but without proof of vaccination or recovery. 

Tell us how you feel about the plans in our one-minute survey:

Why did the government need support from the SPÖ?

The Austrian coalition government is currently in the minority in the Federal Council, so they needed support from another party to pass laws.

The Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) and the New Austria and Liberal Forum (NEOS) were not expected to back the law, having opposed the tightening of Covid-19 restrictions, but the SPÖ presented a compromise in the form of ongoing free Covid-19 tests.

READ MORE: Covid-19 in Austria: Follow the latest developments this week

If the coalition government had not agreed to this, the SPÖ could have joined the FPÖ and the NEOS in voting against the law and blocking it for another eight weeks.

Following Tuesday’s agreement in the Federal Council, the provisional end date for free Covid-19 tests in Austria has been pushed back to the end of March 2022.

The FPÖ is not happy with the developments and leader Herbert Kickl, who has publicly opposed vaccination, said the law will send the message that “unvaccinated people are evil”. 

What do The Local’s readers think?

“It creates a safe work environment for everyone.,” said a 31-year-old reader from Poland.

“As long as the tests are free, I don’t see a problem in this proposal,” commented a 27-year-old engineer.

“It would make me feel safer and sure that those who say are vaccinated really are,” said a 40-year-old, originally from Latvia.

Another reader expressed concerns about how the rule would be put into practice. “My fear is twofold: a black market of fake certificates, and false security when having 3G from vaccination/recovery if 3G means no masks. Banning people from earning an income is too much. And I say this as someone who has had Covid, is fully vaccinated and gets tested regularly and wears a mask always,” said a reader working as a photographer in Vienna.

“It takes away the freedom of the individual, passively aggressively forcing people to get vaccinated. No good will come from such a decision,” said a reader who asked to remain anonymous.

Similar 3G rules already in place in Italy

Austria is not the only country to pursue 3G in the workplace, with neighbouring Italy already rolling out the new law.

Since Friday 15th October, all public, private and self-employed workers in Italy have to produce a health certificate showing they are vaccinated, recovered or have proof of a recent negative test in order to enter any workplace.

Employees without this proof face penalties of between €600 and €1,500, and salaries will be frozen from the first day that they are without the certificate. Employers are subject to fines of between €400 and €1,000 for failing to uphold the rules.

The law is currently in place until December 31st 2021, which is the deadline for the end of the state of emergency. 

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VIENNA

Strike warning: Why are doctors planning a protest in Vienna?

Vienna hospital doctors are taking the streets in protest - in a move that many called a 'dress rehearsal' for a possible strike. Why are doctors protesting?

Published: 4 December 2023 12:13 CET
Strike warning: Why are doctors planning a protest in Vienna?

Hospital doctors in Vienna and representatives of other healthcare professions, such as nurses, have planned a protest march in the city centre this Monday, December 4th. 

With the motto “Without us, Vienna dies” (Ohne uns stirbt Wien), the health professionals want to call attention to their “deteriorating working conditions”, according to a press release by the doctor’s chamber Ärztekammer für Wien. The protest is seen as “dress rehearsal” for a possible strike in spring, Austrian media has reported.

“The staffing and structural understaffing of Vienna’s public hospitals is no longer sustainable. While entire departments are disappearing and staff are leaving in frustration, city politicians have consistently ignored our proposals from the 10-point plan to save Vienna’s hospitals for months.”, they wrote.

READ ALSO: Why Austria wants to speed up integration of foreigners into the workforce

The proposals include measures to make health professions more attractive, stop workers from leaving the sector altogether, improve working conditions in the Viennese hospitals, and modernise structures so doctors and nurses can have more time for patients.

The medical association also demands a 30 percent pay rise, saying that the recently presented agreements just below the ten percent mark only compensate for inflation. 

They added: “It is not enough to create new posts that are then vacant in addition to the existing ones. What we need are people who are happy to work with us in the hospitals of the City of Vienna. We need a wave of de-bureaucratization, more autonomy and department level to find suitable solutions for and with our colleagues.”

The protest rally will start in the early afternoon at Neuer Markt. It will then continue through the city centre and past the town hall. A final rally is planned at Stock-Im-Eisen-Platz at around 4.00 pm.

READ ALSO: What kind of insurance do I need to have in Austria?

Population support

The medical association said there is support among the population for the protests, citing a “Health Barometer 2023” research presented by pollster Peter Hajek.

In the survey involving 1,000 residents of Vienna, participants criticised the healthcare system and healthcare policies. A significant majority, 63 percent, felt that healthcare hadn’t improved post-pandemic. Regarding Vienna’s hospitals, 37 percent rated their condition as “Not sufficient” or “Sufficient,” with a mere 5 percent indicating a “Very good” status.

Critiques highlighted concerns about prolonged surgery waiting times and overcrowded hospital outpatient departments.

READ ALSO: Reader question: Can doctors charge a cancellation fee in Austria?

The survey revealed that an overwhelming majority believed that increased salaries for hospital staff would be justified. Additionally, there is significant support for potential strike actions, with 91 percent expressing understanding for such measures, as confirmed by Hajek.

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