In a good intoxication through life

Europe's largest addiction clinic is located on the outskirts of Vienna. At the Anton Proksch Institute we meet Harald Steer. He only wanted to stay for four months, but it has become over 24 years. According to the motto "Get out of the intoxication. Into life", he looks after people who are suffering from drug addiction. Relationship work is the focus of Harald Steer's work. Overcoming crises in walking and talking is the recipe for success of the qualified psychiatric nurse. Stimulating positive changes in life, countering addiction not with renunciation, but with an active and joyful participation in life – in other words, a "good intoxication", as Harald Steer calls it, that is the goal.

Stabilizer

Addiction is a chronic disease. Many patients accompany Harald Steer throughout their lives. A sense of achievement – do they even exist? "When I meet a former patient here again, as I do today – a man I've known for 25 years – and he says: 'It's nice that you exist. Here with you I can stabilize myself again.' Then it's a sense of achievement for me."

Drive for many

Trust and stability also play a major role for Harald Steer as a member of the works council. At a time "when there was fire on the roof", the now 51-year-old took over the chairmanship of the works council at the Anton Proksch Institute. "Due to economic problems, savings were planned on a large scale, including changes in service law and in our collective agreements," Harald Steer looks back. "At the time, I thought I'd see if I could do better. That's what drives me for a lot of what I've done in my life so far," says the works council member with a smile. There hasn't been much to laugh about in the past.

Hard times

In 2013, the Anton Proksch Institute was partially privatized. 60 percent went to VAMED AG, Austria's largest healthcare group. And since then, Harald Steer and his BR team have been trying to "prevent the worst". This is because the listed group was in an "economic lurch" and was looking for a buyer for its hospital and rehabilitation division, reports Harald Steer. The majority of the stake in the Anton Proksch Institute is to be sold to a French private equity fund called PAI Partners. The deal is controversial, PAI is considered an actor that is looking for quick, lucrative business, making profits through buying and selling. That is why the works council and the union are mobilizing together. The search for an alternative private partner runs for many weeks, followed by numerous discussions. For Harald Steer, one thing is clear: "No matter how it ends, the work continues. Our incentive is and remains to get the best out of it for employees and patients."

Strong cohesion

Harald Steer also tries to get the best out of it as vida's chief negotiator for the collective agreement for private hospitals. On Valentine's Day two years ago, he stood together with his colleagues. After six unsuccessful rounds of negotiations, an Austria-wide warning strike took place on February 14, 2023. Harald Steer was already running at full speed before that. Because numerous works meetings had to be held. And so he traveled from facility to facility with "his" vida to inform his colleagues about the status of the collective bargaining negotiations. "Accept the offer, or go on strike and possibly go back to the start?" was the question. The warning strike finally led back to the negotiating table and a short time later there was a conclusion that was impressive.

The strong cohesion is also impressive. "Many colleagues were part of the warning strike and sent a strong signal together with us. This shows once again what cohesion can achieve!", works council member Harald Steer is convinced.