Cash must be preserved | Group of Christian trade unionists Vienna, July 29, 2023

2023-07-29 08:17:39

Fritz Pöltl (FCG-ÖAAB): “People have a right to their own cash, paying in cash underlines the freedom of consumers.”

Vienna (OTS) – Ingrid Korosec, President of the Seniors’ Association, criticizes that closing branches and dismantling ATMs should not become a sustainable business model for Austria’s banks. The FCG-ÖAAB parliamentary group of the Vienna Chamber of Labor fully agrees with the criticism. Group leader Fritz Pöltl:
“Paying with cash underlines the freedom of consumers and also has the advantage that you have an overview of your own spending. Excessive card payments drive young people in particular into the debt trap!” Apart from that, a “transparent consumer” is not really desirable. Pöltl believes that money laundering by criminal organizations must be approached differently.

fees

The proponents of cashless payment are all too happy to forget to mention that people are charged quarterly for the high fees for debit or credit cards and are also asked to pay for each entry line on their bank statements. The banks rake in the hefty profits, the consumers are only allowed to pay. Pöltl: “People have a right to their own cash. According to current estimates, around 450 municipalities will no longer have ATMs after the bank branches have been closed. The situation is better in Vienna, but five bank branches have also closed here, for example on Währinger Strasse. The ATM remained at only one location there. Downer: At the Seebühne in Mörbisch, only “cashless payment” was accepted this year, with the exception of one snack bar. If you didn’t have a bank card with you, you had to starve!