Austria, Europe
- Name of the managing director: Julia Pollak
- Number of members: 1200
- Year when the Association was established: 1919
- Year when the Association joined IFSW: 1966
- Acronym: OBDS
- Code of Ethics OBDS and Constitution OBDS
- Email: or
- Contact person: Julia Pollak
- Adress: Franz-Josefs-Kai 27, 1010 Wien
- Website: www.obds.at
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/obds.sozialearbeit/
- LinkedIn: obds – Österreichischer Berufsverband der Sozialen Arbeit
- Instagram: obds_soziale_arbeit
- Youtube: obds – Berufsverband Soziale Arbeit Österreich
- Tel. +43670/6547490
Find more information on obds on the website https://obds.at/ueber-den-obds-oesterreichischer-berufsverband-der-sozialen-arbeit/
- Name of the President: Christian Meidlinger
- Number of members: 697
- Year when the Association was established: 1947
- Year when the Association joined IFSW: 2011
- Constitution: Geschäftsordnung younion _ Die Daseinsgewerkschaft
- Email:
- Contact person: Thomas Kattnig
- Adress: Maria-Theresien-Straße 11, 1090 Wien, Austria
- Website: https://www.younion.at
- Facebook: @younion.at
- Instagram: @younion.at
- Tel. +43 (01) 313 16 // 8300
younion represents the interest of more than 150,000 members from over 200 
different occupational groups and working in about 2,100 Austrian municipalities and companies. younion unites under its umbrella municipal employees working predominantly in health care, transport, utilities (electricity, gas, water, waste, etc.), education, social services, undertaking and public administration at municipal level, as well as individuals working in a creative capacity in the artistic, journalistic, broadcasting, technological, commercial, administrative and educational fields, whether employed or self-employed, in the sectors of arts, media, education and sports; as well as individuals training in any of these professions, youths employed as trainees by a municipality and retired members.
Membership is open to all employees of local towns and municipalities, irrespective of the employees’ labour status (labourer or salaried employee), their employment agreement (public servants and contracted public servants, traineeship or apprenticeship). Also, former active municipal employees have the option of remaining members of the younion during retirement.
Principal areas of activity include:
- Organisational activities such as recruitment, member care, levying membership fees, etc.
- Defending the interests of municipal employees by individual, plant and collective agreements with employers, and improving working conditions in municipal service.
- Counselling and training of staff representatives, works council members, young workers’ council members, officers for the disabled, and trade union representatives at the workplace.
- Promotion of educational initiatives as well as initiatives for young persons and women.
- Promotion of international cooperation among trade unions
- Free legal counselling and legal support for members
- Is Social Work a University degree? See more on SW education in Austria here https://obds.at/soziale-arbeit-studieren/
- How many years do you have to study? 3 for receiving a BA degree, 5 for obtaining a MA degree as agreed within the Bologna System
- Do you have to register to practise social work? No as of October 2025. Please check for updates here www.obds.at since there are changes in the legislation planned