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While MPs are in Parliament for the first regular session after the summer break, a human chain is formed outside.

Enough is enough: “Prices down, wages up,” demands the Austrian Trade Union Confederation once again. But because too little is still happening, employee representatives are now resorting to unconventional means that caused a stir 23 years ago.

“While the members of the National Council meet for the first regular meeting after the summer, we stand hand in hand around Parliament and form a human chain together,” they announced for September 20th.

When it comes to food alone, a family with two children has to spend over 1,200 euros more this year than a year ago, and housing and energy costs do the rest. “Many people are afraid of the future. More and more children are at risk of poverty. But the federal government continues to do nothing!” the ÖGB continued.

Unusual protest

The upcoming wage negotiations in the fall will therefore prove to be particularly interesting and at risk of strikes. The unions are already announcing that they will do everything they can “to adjust wages and salaries to these extreme price increases.”

To emphasize this, an unusual protest is planned for Wednesday: a human chain is to be closed around Parliament during the National Council meeting taking place there. From 5 p.m. the meeting point is in Sigmund-Freud-Park, Ballhausplatz and Maria-Theresien-Platz, where there will be a closing event with speeches, music and food after the end of the event. At 6 p.m. the human chain at Ballhausplatz will be closed with, among others, ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian.

The ban mile must be observed

It is no coincidence that the locations were chosen so far away from Parliament. According to Section 7 of the Assembly Act, no open-air meeting may take place within a radius of 300 meters while the National Council is in session. The human chain should be closed while observing this “ban mile”.

But in some places it could be tight. According to the Parliamentary Directorate, the ban mile is measured from the external border of Parliament. So if you take the outer wall into account, part of the Ballhausplatz lies within the 300 meter limit. If you take the driveway in front of Parliament as the external border, a large part of Ballhausplatz would be taboo.

The 2 line in the west and south is also clearly within. Due to the external border regulations, a meeting is only allowed to take place at Maria-Theresien-Platz from the NHM elephant onwards. If the ban mile is ignored, there is a risk of administrative penalties of up to 720 euros.

Heated demo day 2000

As early as December 5, 2000, there was a human chain from the ÖGB to demonstrate against the black-blue social policy. At that time, the protests also reached the meeting room, at least in terms of content. Chancellor Schüssel accused the trade unionists of besieging parliament, the FPÖ spoke of “rioters” and Andreas Kohl of “chaotics”.

The total of 8,000 participants were actually able to close the human chain in the late afternoon.

Nav-Account leo Time14.09.2023, 10:41| Akt: 14.09.2023, 10:41
2023-09-14 15:40:38
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