Für die Vielen – Die Arbeiterkammer Wien

The red fist in the foyer marks Vienna’s Chamber of Labour as a historic achievement of the labour movement. The need for legal representation of workers’ interests in the post-migrant era and a digital present marked by the pandemic shows that this idea is hardly obsolete: the reception desk is always bustling. The clients are diverse, and the services on offer varied: there are few barriers to access them. Friendly interaction and a committed attitude are the order of the day. In the style of participatory observation, FÜR DIE VIELEN offers cleverly assembled glimpses into the institution’s daily activities, ranging from labour law consultations via team meetings and cultural events to the presentation of economic analyses of wealth distribution. The concept of the welfare state is rendered visible here, just as the picture of a society emerges where social discrimination is commonplace. When preparations to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the chamber’s founding collide with the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the internal organisation of crisis mode takes centre stage – and new challenges for the world of work become apparent. The idea must be kept alive, #forever. (Birgit Kohler)