As expected, the first collective bargaining round for the 130,000 employees in the metalworking industry ended without result on Monday. While the PRO-GE and GPA unions have put their demand for 10.6 percent more pay on the table, the employers have not yet made an offer. The demand was commented only with the words: “The drama of the situation has not yet reached the unions.” The next date is October 17.
“This year we need appropriate solutions and above all common sense,” said Christian Knill, president of the Association of the Metal Technology Industry (FMTI), after about seven hours of negotiation. Every day he gets emails and phone calls from companies from different regions of Austria and their unanimous gist is: “All signals point to a storm.”
Knill also said: “There are already a number of companies in our industry that are reducing their production and the number is increasing every day. Many say they are facing a storm front and can only drive by sight. A KV diploma, as required by the unions, would destroy a number of companies.”
The workers’ representatives, for their part, have sharpened the tone and have already announced works council conferences for the entire metals industry from October 12 to 14 – the first, very mild level of escalation in a potential labor dispute. “The employer side is doing everything it can to downplay the industry’s outstanding successes over the past year and outline bleak prospects for the future. However, the employees have earned their share of the very successful past year,” said chief negotiators Rainer Wimmer (PRO-GE) and Karl Dürtscher (GPA) on the route to be taken. They emphasized Monday evening that “the employers themselves have shown no restraint with an 80 percent profit distribution”.
Unions also demand improvements in framework legislation
In addition to the 10.6 percent increase in income, the unions are also demanding improvements in the framework law for the collective labor agreement 2023, which will apply from 1 November this year: 1,000 euros for apprentice trainees, a new allowance for Saturday work, an increase in the overtime allowance. for the 10th working hour and easier access to the sixth week of vacation.
The minimum wage for the metal industry in the traditionally well-paid sector is currently 2,090 euros gross. Like every year, the starting point for haggling is inflation over the past twelve months, in this case 6.3 percent. According to a quick estimate by Statistics Austria, inflation was 10.5 percent in September and the unions want to take that into account.
Agreement on pension increase
In another area, much more has been done: the governing parties ÖVP and Greens have agreed to adjust pensions. Details will be presented at a press conference on Tuesday. According to reports, the income of some 200,000 pensioners with compensation benefits should be increased by about ten percent before 2023.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
