Trade Unionist Binder: – “Inflation is not conceivable!”

It was only on Saturday that the head of the German Institute for Economic Research (IFO), Clemens Fuest, Austria recommended in an Ö1 interview for wage restriction: “It is the case that wages cannot increase in a stagnating economy,” said his argument. “Overall economy is clear that it is not possible in the long term to expand wages in a stagnant economy.”

“The most important thing is to compensate for inflation!”
Earlier, the domestic economic research institutes WIFO and IHS and the Fiscal Council had pronounced restraint in wage negotiations. Nevertheless, Reinhold Binder, head of the pro-ge production union, wants to fight for inflation in the current spring round and later in the autumn wage in the autumn wage round: “A conclusion among rolling inflation is unknown! In terms of inflation, the most important and necessary in times like this.” Employees should not feel that they can no longer pay the life or training of their children.

“There will be no zero wage round!”
A special thorn in the side are binding medium requirements on the part of the industry that wages are not even lifting this year: “There will be no zero wage round!” The pro-gave calculated what it would mean if there were zero wage rounds for three years: then the quantities of vacation and the Christmas bonus of one year were lost for employees.

Binder has five arguments why wages should rise in inflation this year:

• First, they are that Employees do not blame inflation. On the contrary: When prices in 2022 as a result of Ukraine War and energy costs shock for the first time, wages were not immediately increased. The employees were therefore aware of the later to get the loss of purchase again.
• The The main cone is and remains inflation: It has been 0.7 percentage points in Austria for about ten years above that of our most important trading partners. Politics had to do everything to push inflation again – then wages would rise less.
• Binder also sees the current problems in the industry, but the situation is not that dramatic: the Popot costs have recently increased in Austria, but fell in 2022. In 2024 we were still below the average of our most important trading partners in the case of wage costs, which means: We are quite competitive.
• Die Profit distribution rates of the companies have also been ‘not immeasurable’ in recent years. According to Binder, this must also apply to entrepreneurs for justice.
• The industry of 2024 was less influenced by the increase in bankruptcies: Only 4.3 percent of all bankruptcy issues were at industrial companies last year.

Binder: “Industrial representatives have been painting the devil on the wall for months when it comes to the wage rounds. But if a union we as a Union do not want to have a devaluation of the work.” The employees are a treasure that “should not be damaged or attacked”, but “cherish and maintain”. Many companies have already dismantled the staff. Binder about the consequences: “This means that those who are there are extra pressure and now have to do more work. Because the systems still have to run.”

Willingness to more flexibility
However, the boss of the trade union is ready to bring more flexibility to the collective contracts. For example, the social partners have introduced a clause for competition and employment for the first time when the metal degree for 2023 and 2024: companies with a larger proportion of personnel costs have been able to increase wages a little less in the last two years with a view to the difficult economic situation in view of the difficult economic situation. Binder: “In retrospect it was one of the smartest collective agreement.”