Prison officers’ union warns Vienna jail could collapse

Austria’s prison officers’ union sharply reduced operations at Josefstadt prison in Vienna on Thursday to protest working conditions, ORF reported. The union said the situation at the country’s largest prison was no longer acceptable and urged the Justice Ministry to act immediately.

About 200 employees gathered in the prison’s main event hall before the action. The facility is undergoing a major renovation, and one entire wing is closed. The GÖD union said the prison should therefore house about 800 inmates, but around 1,200 are currently being held there.

Cells overcrowded

According to the union, cells designed for a maximum of six people often hold eight inmates. Larger cells hold as many as 10, it said.

“This severe overcrowding not only worsens working conditions but also increases the security risk for staff and inmates,” the union said.

A serious staff shortage is adding to the pressure. Markus Kargl, a member of the union’s federal leadership, said staff regularly began their shifts with up to 50 employees absent. He added that duties were continually being expanded and urgently needed staff were being assigned to other tasks.

The Justice Ministry had not responded to the criticism by Thursday afternoon.