"We are not slaves" reads the slogan of one campaign in Vienna. In Austria, street protests are beginning to attract nationwide public attention. Romanians, organizing in informal groups, are demanding justice.
In the heart of Europe, where the economy relies on cheap labor, the anger of guest workers from Romania is mounting. Seventy years after the first waves of labor migration from southeastern Europe, their descendants and new arrivals are still struggling with exploitation, discrimination, and neglect. In Austria, a migration expert warns of an "uprising of the exploited," while in Germany, historical reflections recall the difficult legacy of guest workers.
In Austria, particularly in Vienna, the construction sector has long relied on cheap labor from Romania and other southeastern European countries. In 2025, the exploitation of guest workers reached a critical point. Migration expert Gerald Knaus, speaking to the Austrian publication Profil, warns: "What we are seeing is a revolt of the exploited." Romanians, often hired through subcontractors, work in inhumane conditions — without contracts, with wages below the minimum, and in constant fear of deportation. Knaus notes that many of them live in makeshift quarters, without access to healthcare or insurance.
The statistics are alarming: in Austria, approximately 100,000 Romanians work in construction, care, and services. After Romania's accession to the EU in 2007, migration surged, driven by the free movement of persons. Yet instead of integration, many guest workers encounter exploitation. Companies exploit legal loopholes, offering "service contracts" instead of full employment contracts, which allows them to avoid taxes and social contributions. Knaus emphasizes that rising frustration could lead to protests, and even strikes, if the government fails to act.
Romanian workers, often unskilled and without knowledge of the language, are particularly vulnerable. Stories of 12-hour shifts without breaks, underpayment, and workplace bullying circulate in migrant communities. "This is modern-day slavery," says Knaus, calling for stricter inspections and harsher penalties for unscrupulous employers. Austrian trade unions, such as the OGB, are beginning to support migrants by organizing information campaigns and providing legal assistance.
In Germany, the guest worker debate carries deeper historical resonance. The year 2025 marks 70 years since the first recruitment agreements with Italy (1955), later extended to Turkey, Yugoslavia, and other southern European countries. Der Spiegel recalls that these people built the postwar economic miracle, working in factories, mines, and on construction sites. Yet their contribution is often overlooked. "We forgot about them," the magazine writes, pointing to the lack of recognition for their role in the development of West Germany.
Today, Romanians, alongside Bulgarians and Poles, dominate among the new guest workers. In 2023, more than 1.5 million migrants from southeastern Europe were employed in Germany, primarily in logistics, agriculture, and care. Their situation mirrors that of the first guest workers: low wages, temporary contracts, and marginalization. Unlike the 1960s, when migrants were welcomed with open arms, today they face rising xenophobia, fueled by parties like the AfD. Reports indicate that Romanians in Germany frequently fall victim to recruitment fraud, and their labor rights are routinely violated.
The historical parallels are striking. In the 1970s, guest workers from Yugoslavia and Turkey lived in "foreigners' barracks," cut off from society. Today, Romanians in Austria and Germany often rent overcrowded apartments at inflated rents. Integration remains a challenge: a lack of language skills and limited voting rights mean migrants remain "invisible" to the system.
Migration from southeastern Europe to the West, as analyzed by the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb), is a phenomenon driven by economic inequality. Romania, despite GDP growth after joining the EU, still struggles with poverty in rural areas. The average wage in Romania is approximately 800 euros, compared to 3,000 euros in Austria or Germany. This pushes young Romanians westward, where they take on jobs that locals shun.
However, freedom of movement within the EU does not translate into equality. In Austria and Germany, migrants from Romania are often seen as cheap labor rather than full-fledged citizens. A bpb report indicates that only 30% of migrants from southeastern Europe achieve occupational stability after five years. The rest remain in precarious employment, without prospects for advancement. This breeds frustration, which Knaus calls a "ticking social time bomb."
In Austria, the OVP-Greens coalition government promises reforms, including tougher penalties for companies that exploit migrants. Yet political will is weak — the construction sector lobbies to maintain the status quo. In Germany, the SPD and Greens push for better regulations, but resistance from the CDU and AfD complicates change. Non-governmental organizations such as Arbeiterwohlfahrt offer migrants counseling, but the scale of the problem exceeds their capacity. Society is divided. On social media, voices of support for guest workers appear alongside xenophobic commentary.
