Paper short abstract:

The system of care for the elderly rests on the shoulders of transnational care workers. When the care chain was disrupted by border closures during the Corona crisis, the system received media attention - and with it activists' demands for de-precarisation of services.

Paper long abstract:

The COVID19 crisis and the associated border closures to curb pandemics in Austria have brought to the surface a long ignored political grievance: the system of care for the elderly only works because more than 30,000 transnational 24-hour personal care workers regularly perform their legalised but in labour law controversial discussed service in private households. Suddenly, however, the necessary transnational care chain was interrupted. In addition to the affected clients, it was not least the caregivers who, in times of increased media attention, demanded an improvement of their working conditions. They received support from self-governing initiatives such as IG24 and even Amnesty International. The initiatives were heard in the basic research for the nursing reform long announced by the federal government. However, whether the demands, among others for salaried employment instead of precarious bogus self-employment, will find their way into a reformed care and nursing system is still written in the stars.

In my lecture, I will discuss the legal and social foundations of the care system. In describing the situation during the Corona crisis, I will not only discuss panic-like rescue attempts by politicians, but above all the increased media attention for the demands of care workers for better working conditions - and not least point out (racist or balkanist) reactions.

The lecture will be visually accompanied by material from the exhibition LINES OF HELP curated by me: https://www.hilfslinien.net/?lang=en