Page - 214 - in Otto Bauer (1881–1938) - Thinker and Politician

214 chapter 5 – Public compensation for disabledwar veterans, war widows andwar or- phans(25April 1919). – Thecreationof industrialcouncils (15May1919). – Therightofworkerstopaidholidays(30July1919).110 – Regulationsofovertimepay(17December1919). Amongother great achievementsof this periodwere lawson journalists, the protection of domestic servants, the right to claimwar compensation, and thecreationofemployees’associationsensuringthat industrial lawandsocial legislationwereimplemented(26February1920).Alloftheselawswerepassed despite theprotestof theChristianSocialandGreaterGermanparties,which objected to the social costs involved.The 1918–20 social reformspeakedwith the transformation of public health insurance – now extended to include familymembers–andthepensionssystem.111 TheSocialDemocratsregardedtheadoptedsociallegislationasrepresentat- iveofanearly formofthelegalsystemthatwouldprevail inthesocialiststate. Theyhadstronghopesforthelawconcerningtheformationofindustrialcoun- cils in theenterprises, trade, andagriculture; for them, thiswas the first step on the road to socialisation.112 However, they also expected that a thorough democratisation of workplaces would lead to increased productivity, teach workershowtomanagetheproductionprocess,andtrainthemuptoimprove their general skills. The responsibilities of the industrial councilswereas fol- lows:controllingthe implementationofsocial legislation,maintaining labour agreements, securingworkers’participation indeterminingwages,protecting workers from unlawful dismissal, maintaining discipline in the workplaces andmonitoring the technological aspects of production. In big enterprises, responsibilitieswereextendedtomonitoringthefinancesandwagestatisticsof thecompany.The lawobligedbosses tosummonmeetingsbetweenthecom- panymanagement and industrial council at thebequest of the latter at least 110 Onlystateemployeesenjoyedthisrightunderthemonarchy. 111 AstosociallegislationduringthefirstdaysoftheRepublic,seeKaufmann1978,pp.134–40, andTálos1990,pp.353–61. 112 On14April1919,BauerwroteintheArbeiter-Zeitung: ‘Theintroductionofindustrialcoun- cilsinitself…doesnotyetamounttosocialisation,itmerelymeansthattheworksconsti- tutionisdemocratised.However, the industrialcouncilsprovideabasis forsocialisation, whichcanthenproceed’ (our translation).Original: ‘DieEinführungvonBetriebräten… bedeutetansichnochkeineSozialisierung,esistnureineDemokratisierungderBetriebs- verfassung,aberesisteineGrundlagefürdieSozialisierung,aufderdiesedannaufgebaut werdenkann’.