Warum gesetzliche Mitgliedschaft?

Sachlich, verständlich

Why is statutory membership so important?

Without members’ statutory contributions, there would be no such thing as the Chamber of Labour

The Chamber of Labour (AK) does not receive any money from the government. Instead, employees are required by law to pay a small membership contribution. Without this, there would be no AK – and no-one to look out for workers’ interests. The contribution ensures that we all receive full protection. Such as legal assistance if you have to appear before an industrial tribunal. Or support if your employer goes bankrupt. Or assistance if you need help with a consumer-protection matter. Everyone gets premium service – including those (like apprentices and people in mini-jobs) who are exempt from paying membership contributions. As an AK member, you have access to support from our leading experts.

What’s more, the main advantage of statutory membership is that it cannot simply be scrapped – there are special legal safeguards in place. Without them, a government that primarily defended the interests of companies and conglomerates could easily abolish the AK – leaving workers without a voice.

Sachlich, in leichter Sprache

We all have to go to the doctor now and again, or you might even have been taken into hospital – thanks to statutory social security and health insurance, no-one in Austria needs to worry about paying for an operation or other expensive treatments themselves. Statutory Chamber of Labour (AK) membership works in roughly the same way. Employees in Austria receive a kind of fully comprehensive insurance – for the price of two coffees a month! And you don’t have to pay a penny for advice from the AK either – no matter how long it takes or however complex the issue.

On top of that, the main advantage of statutory membership is that it can’t simply be scrapped; instead, special legal safeguards are in place. Otherwise, a government that put the interests of companies and conglomerates first could easily abolish the AK – leaving you without a voice.

Witzig, mit anschaulichen Vergleichen, in DU

One for all, not “me, me, me”. At the Chamber of Labour (AK), it’s our job to help everybody. No matter how much you pay, every AK member gets premium service and full protection. And that includes people who don’t pay at all, like apprentices. That’s only possible because of the joint membership contribution – so everybody helps everybody else. And if you need extra support – don’t worry, it won’t cost you pay a penny more.

On top of that, the main advantage of statutory membership is that it can’t simply be scrapped; there are special legal protections are in place. That’s important because a government that puts the interests of companies and conglomerates first could easily get rid of the AK – leaving you without a voice.