Wallner calls for police working-time model to be restarted

Vorarlberg Governor Markus Wallner has called for a fresh start to a police working-time model being tested in the Bregenz district and other pilot regions, ORF reported. “My demand is clear: back to the start,” he told the online edition of the Vorarlberger Nachrichten on Tuesday.

The police union fears officers could lose income. Vorarlberg police union representative Sandro Wehinger said the union was not opposed to a new working-time model, but it must be linked to pay reform. “We do not want a financial deterioration,” he said.

Wallner called on Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, a fellow member of the Austrian People’s Party, to reopen negotiations. “If a reform means police officers have to accept significant pay cuts, something is fundamentally wrong,” he said. If a model faces widespread criticism in practice, Wallner added, it must be redesigned. He also said staff representatives must be involved from the outset.

Vorarlberg security councillor Markus Klien of the Freedom Party also criticised the reform last week, warning it could reduce security, increase workloads and lead to staff losses.

The Interior Ministry has been testing the model since early September in five pilot regions: Bregenz, Gänserndorf, Leibnitz, Linz and Vienna-Brigittenau. On Friday, Karner announced adjustments following feedback from staff representatives. The changes concern 24-hour shifts and duty scheduling.