My story, my union

I was born on June 4, 1941 in Vienna Favoriten. My father was a "Reichsbahn worker" in the roller haulage service. He was always pressured to join the NSDAP. According to his conscience, he could not do that. It didn't take long for him to be drafted into the military in 1944. His last stay in January 1945 was East Prussia in the Insterburg-Gumbinnen area. Then there was no more news from him. My mother was in the household and after the end of the war she took me to the arriving trainees at Vienna's Südbahnhof, which had been partially bombed, to wait for my father. A sad picture – my father was not there. I don't have an image of my father in my mind – the war has taken away my few memories.

After primary school at Laaerberg and four classes of secondary school in Reinprechtsdorfer Straße – in the 10th district, the school was not usable due to war damage – I decided in 1955 to apply for an apprenticeship at the ÖBB. The telecommunications apprenticeship was already taken. Since there was no more place available as an electrician's apprentice, I was offered a place as a locksmith's apprentice. There were about 300 applicants everywhere and there was only room for 30 apprentices each. Then came the decisive letter from the ÖBB: Accepted by the signal line in Vienna 2, Innstraße 18, from September 1955 as a mechanic apprentice.

It didn't take long before I was invited to a training weekend by the youth secretary of the railway workers' union, Leopold Neubauer. My path as a trade union official began. Elected as a youth representative, then on the national board of the railway trade union youth, and most recently I was elected to the ÖGB Federal Youth Presidium. I remember a conversation with Social Minister Anton Proksch, Minister of Social Administration (1956 – 1966).  I also led an ÖGB youth group in Vienna 10, which was gladly attended by the ÖBB apprentices. A varied program was offered with lectures on trade unions, contemporary history and politics, alternating between slide shows and films.

In addition to the union support of the apprentices, the youth department of the railway workers' union has made an effort to offer inexpensive holiday offers. In the late 1950s, it was not a matter of course for some parents to finance a holiday in Europe for their sons. Our first destination was the island of Sylt for one group and the Baltic Sea for the second group. Another destination was Antibes / Juan-Lés-Pins on the French Riviera. Experiences that will be remembered. There were training courses for young functionaries in the Anton Hueber House and at the Schafberg/Vienna Ottakring. I was often active as a lecturer. I wrote many articles for the youth page of the trade union newspaper "Der Eisenbahner". In December 1957 I passed the examination for the operation of 16 mm sound film projectors at the Federal Central Office for Photography and Educational Film. The torchlight procession of the trade union youth across the Ring to the Parliament on the eve of May 1 was a moving action in the 50s and 60s. The youth exchange between Austria and Germany, as well as the youth ski championships alternately in Austria and in Germany, were also very popular.

I completed my apprenticeship as a mechanic in February 1959 with the skilled worker examination certificate with "very good" and the vocational school for mechanics in June 1958 with very good success, and I was awarded a diploma for special diligence and the teaching successes achieved by the Vienna City School Board.

After the skilled worker examination, only two of the apprentice cohort could be taken on in the main operation of the Vienna signal line line.  I was lucky enough to get a job in the department for ticket printing presses. This expertise kept me busy in the various areas until retirement.

In 1965, I decided to attend the five-year evening school for professionals specializing in mechanical engineering. A scholarship from the Chamber of Workers and Employees and a scholarship on authorization from the Federal Minister of Education helped to acquire the necessary specialist literature. It was not easy to study in the evening while working. But I persevered and graduated with distinction in 1970. On May 27, 1975, I was awarded the professional title of "engineer" by the Federal Minister for Buildings and Technology, Josef Moser. This cleared the way to become a technical specialist at the ÖBB security service.

After two years of training and work in the operations management of the Vienna signal line line, I came to the General Directorate with mechanical engineering tasks in safety technology and especially in switch construction. Examples: Klothoid switch for use on high-speed lines and symmetrical switch for the roller hill at marshalling yards. Preliminary examination of the new developments for submission to the Federal Ministry of Transport. Light signal masts now with signal signs, according to ÖNORM (at that time) for a wind pressure of 140 km/h. Weighing technology with development of new systems on the rails in cooperation with the Federal Office of Metrology. Development of new ticket machines with coin and banknote validators as well as burglary protection for the machines. Cooperation with the Austrian National Bank to exclude counterfeit money. Procurement and commissioning of ticket machines and conductor devices for ticket sales on the train. Consultant at the transport associations Verkehrsverbund Ostregion, Graz, Upper Austria, Carinthia, Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg. Development, procurement and installation of new luggage lockers for the stations. Agendas of employee protection. Member of the ÖNORM Committee.  With such a workload, it was then no longer possible to exercise a trade union function.

I was also firmly convinced that I was a member of the Austrian Association of Abstinent Railway Workers. Congresses and study conferences in Austria, but also in Europe, were able to convince many colleagues of the idea of "0.0 per mille on duty". The umbrella organisation was the International Association of Railway Workers for Sobriety – IVEN. There were also interesting leisure programs, such as a steam train ride from Heiligenstadt in 1991.

In September 2025, I will have been a union member for 70 years – with a look back on many beautiful years in the community and a reason to celebrate. But also in memory of my cousin, Franz Hums, with the many functions in the railway workers' union and as a member of the National Council – most recently Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs under Chancellor Franz Vranitzky, from 1995 to 1997.

Supplement

Dedicated to my father Johann Hums, born May 12, 1908, who was only able to take care of me for a short time. His thoughts and hopes for the future were: "The boy should be better off one day". For the first few days in January 1945, father had sent us a postcard. It's hard to imagine that the post office worked these days, if you read the war reports from East Prussia.

I witnessed the battle for Vienna from 6 to 13 April 1945. Only destroyed houses are remembered. Trams could usually only run in the morning. The catacombs full of people seeking protection. After the all-clear – went home on foot, In the first weeks of May 1945 I experienced the invasion of the Red Army in the Nickelsdorf area. A telecommunications squad in the courtyard of our relatives left the location in a hurry and shortly afterwards a Russian tank rolled into the courtyard. Later, a Russian officer said: "We will stay here for 10 years".  The origin can be found in the First Control Agreement of 4 July 1945.

The first train of returnees from the Soviet Union arrived on September 11, 1947, the last on July 25, 1955.    Missing in East Prussia. My motto later was: "No matter what happens, just no war!"

Ing. Erich Hums, 2384 Breitenfurt

I am co-organizer of the "Bikers for the Orphans" campaign. It was a great experience to see what a few railway workers and Bernd Brandstetter from the vida trade union were able to do for a good cause within a very short time - and where "WIR vor ICH" is not only a slogan, but is actually lived.

Markus Kolup, 1210 Vienna

I have never made personal concerns to vida, as there was no need for them in my professional environment. However, your foresight, the negotiations in politics in the interest of the employees, together with the information in the public, are always in the foreground and present. This can also be read as a result in the vida newspaper. And this is exactly what my story is based on.

As the winner of a competition, I was able to enjoy a wonderful evening: "La Traviata" in the open air at the Burg Gars am Kamp Opera. The backdrop is unique, the staging and the music get under your skin. I thank you for creating the opportunity to experience new things.

Elisabeth Hofer, 4100 Ottensheim

… complete my apprenticeship as an office clerk at the BFI and save a lot of money. This support has shown me the value of membership. At the same time, it is important to me not to forget what the union stands for as a whole: It was and is a pioneer for many central improvements for employees - from statutory holiday entitlement to Christmas and holiday bonuses to the father's month.

All these achievements are not a matter of course, but the result of years of commitment and cohesion. For me, a trade union means: support today and security for the future.

Matthias Laimer, 4020 Linz

I've been part of our trade union movement for over 60 years and I'm happy about it. The first points of contact were already in my youth, as my father worked for the stage union. In the late 1950s, I often spent three weeks in convalescent homes of the ÖGB in Lower Austria, Salzburg and also in Velden, in the Cap Wörth convalescent home. My parents would never have been able to afford such a stay for me. I would like to thank the union for this today!

After school, like many boys, I wanted to become a train driver for the railway. But it was already over when I visited the railway doctor, because I needed glasses – apprentices with glasses were not accepted at that time. Since my father worked for the ÖGB, he learned that there was also an ÖGB training workshop in Vienna, in Hellwagstraße in Brigittenau. There I finally began my apprenticeship as a machine fitter. Later, "Jugend am Werk" took over this training workshop.

After completing my apprenticeship, I nevertheless applied to ÖBB again and was accepted as a railway assistant, on the superstructure for the construction of the rapid transit system. Since then, the union has been responsible for collective agreements not only at work, but also in many other areas – for example in the field of culture with discounts for various events, with books from all areas at the ÖGB publishing house, with discounts on holiday trips and with holiday apartments in the most beautiful regions of Austria.

After moving from Vienna to Carinthia, I organised theatre trips to the Klagenfurt City Theatre, to the Spittal/Drau Comedy Plays, to the Burghofspiele Friesach and once even across the border to Ljubljana with a colleague and the support of the trade union. Therefore, when I retired, I never thought of leaving the union. Once with the union - always there!

PS. In 1959, during my apprenticeship at the ÖGB, the then ÖGB President Johann Böhm died and we ÖGB apprentices paid our last respects to the President at the Central Cemetery.

Richard Hunacek, 9500 Villach