lch entschuldige mich im Voraus, weil ich auf Englisch schreibe, aber die Sache, die ich gleich erklären werde, ist etwas zu kompliziert für mich, um auf Deutsch zu schreiben:
try to summarize the matter quickly, so as not to bore you. am an EU citizen, I completed my university studies in my EU country of origin, obtaining a master’s degree. In 2021 came to Vienna because found a job as a laboratory technician (no phd or postdoc) in a university (I won’t mention the name because don’t want to be doxed). When was hired, my Arbeitgeber also made me sign this document here in the photo. Now that am learning German, I understand that it is clearly irregular and feel cheated: for the work I do I should be paid much more! already got my master before I’ve started working at the university, and since then (3 years ago) didn’t get a single raise or opportunity to grow. What can do? understand that it’sa tricky thing since I’ve signed the document, but at that time wasn’t able to understand it and the Personalabteilung rushed all the papers on me like in the movies.
by Budget_Quality6300
20 comments
Talk to him about it.
If he is not willing to void this shit on his table and leave. Oida.
>didn’t get a single raise or opportunity to grow
that’s exactly what you signed up for. Try to look for other job offers and use it as leverage once you talk to your boss.
So, youve signed a contract in a language which you dont understand?
Sorry, but did you say, that youre a Masters degree?
Contact Arbeiterkammer and tell them that you were that stupid to sign something you didnt understand. They can help you.
Do you have any duties/tasks which you can only do because of your master degree?
It’s just an immoral contract. Your employer is a scumbag, and you should just get another job. Generally, signing such a contract is pointless anyway. If they don’t want to give you a raise or a promotion, they don’t have to (except what’s dictated by the collective agreement).
There is no way that any of this is legally binding.
You can of course try to get intont different “Verwendungsgruppe”, but you would realistically need some additional firepower (e.g. Betriebsrat) for that. Probably not worth the hassle. At best, they would adjust your wage to the minimum for the appropriate Verwendungsgruppe (it would still be wildly below market value), and you would still be in a career deadend.
What I would do now is apply for jobs. Just give it a few months, you will find something and get an offer
Then you either take the new job, or if you (for whatever reasons beyond my comprehension) want to keep the job you have currently, you go to your boss, show him the offer and tell him to either match the salary. If he wont, take the offer.
This is clearly a deadend for your career. IMO you should get out of there ASAP, so start sending applications.
the document states that you acknowledge that you applied to a position as technical lab assistant as part of non-academic staff – see IIIa in the Uni KV [https://www.kollektivvertrag.at/kv/universitaeten-arb-ang/universitaeten-rahmen/2770151](https://www.kollektivvertrag.at/kv/universitaeten-arb-ang/universitaeten-rahmen/2770151)) §51 of the Uni KV lists a vague description of the responsibilities. As you most likely start in Grundstufe, you should receive a raise by moving into Regelstufe 1 after 3 years on the job (see §54).
it also states that you acknowledge that even if you finish an additional degree applicable to the position won’t make any claims for additional responsibility or additional pay for this position.
to be fair – this part seems a bit tricky … as I understand it, they practically tell you: this is a IIIa position – take it or leave … there’s no chance for Neueinstufung (e.g. IIIb or IVa because you’d qualify to do more than just a regular lab technician).
the second part of the document is a statement to be signed by the head of the department that your team lead or any other researcher in the lab have to treat you as a lab technician and not as a pre-doc/post-doc, meaning: there’s a clear list of tasks that are part of your job … and it’s not allowed for team lead to add nilly-willy to that list, just because they know that you have the competency and formal qualification. this part of the document is practically a safeguard for you, that – even though you might have the knowledge, your team lead can’t just use you as a cheap pre-doc/post-doc in the lab because you are actually employed as a non-academic staff.
so there’s two things now in your situation:
– do you want to work as non-academic staff? or do you want an academic career? if the latter, you might need to look for a new position: non-academic staff are by design auxiliary roles to research, and not only by the nature of the work but also by the reality of university bureaucracy there’s no real career-path for non-academic staff (besides the Vorrückungen in the KV which slowly increase payment)
– does your team lead actually recognizes your job description? or do they treat you like any other researcher in the lab (esp. in regards to overtime, schedules, execution of tasks, etc.)? If it’s obvious that you’re doing the same work as a PhD or unsure if your current tasks are covered by your position you should get in touch with someone with lab background from the Betriebsrat für Allgemeines Universitätspersonal at your university – ideally they can tell you if your everyday work is actually just the things that you’re formally paid to do … or if your team/lab lead is actually taking advantage of you.
Reminds me of my old boss. This January we did a 26 Hour shift, 8am friday to 10am saturday. (It was a big 1 day event). And he promised me I can take all the days off I want after the event. He called while I was on holiday in the middle of the week, just so I could come in one day earlier.
Didn’t get any paid holidays and I had over 100 Unpaid overtime from last year aswell. I put in my notice and went job hunting. Unexpectly I ended up in Vienna, but still at the same job site. Almost double the pay, and most importantly, bonuses left and right, overtime is unheard of etc.
Have it voided or put in your notice. Shame there is more bosses like my old one out there. Small 10 people company I guess.
if it took you 2 years to realize you might be underpaid and you only realized that because you finally read a document you put your signature under, then no, you’re not underpaid. because clearly you lack essential working skills.
That’s what a lab technician position at a university pays. I guess you took it as an entry opportunity to Austria. Now you have experience and can apply for “real” jobs here. Why stay at this job with a master’s for longer than necessary? Why fight them? Just apply for jobs that actually fit your education.
I think it is legal. You still should get raises with the Kollektivvertrag but the document obly stupulates that you won’t leverage your education innorder to get a higher position. But with a masters degree just look for a new job. You will probably find something better. Good luck
Run!
just quit and find someone who is not trying to scam you. also, please report the company and the document they made you sign, for free legal support to: gpa.at
if you don‘t, you essentially further your employers behavior and you are ruining the job market, pushing down salaries – oh the joy of globalization and influx of „cheap workers“
It is not legally binding, how you really worked matters leagally. I would suggest you document everything you do for the next few months, try to collect some proof of your claims and then go to the “AK Wien” – the workers union. The better proof you have and the better you can describe why you would deserve more pay the higher the chance is that they give you legal protection and take care of it. (chance for legal protection is already pretty high btw- am working for one of their outsource lawyers)
That’s definitely a huge red flag. Don’t sign that BS and look for another job.
Make an appointment with the Arbeiterkammer right now. This contract is probably null and void and your employer has to compensate you (as you are apparently underpaid). I think this can be done up to 2 years (if there is no paragraph in your contract that says otherwise). Most likely you will also have to look for a new job though to get adequate payment (your employer seems to be a real scumbag). Oh, and never sign contracts you don’t understand 🙂
Feed this letter to the paper shredder.
And i would never sign something like this.
My advice is look for another job if you want a higher wage
They clearly want students that are fine with being paid the minimum wage. So you are probably in an easily replaceable position.
This is illegal and called “Lohn- und Sozialdumping”.
You should look for another job as soon as possible.
Wozu studierst du dann?