The metallers flexed their muscles in the groundbreaking battle for a new collective labor agreement. At Thursday’s works council conference in St. Pölten, the sector’s wage offer was dismissed as a “mess” and calls were made for a deal that was “worth it”.
The employers had offered 2.5 percent more wages plus a one-off payment of 1,050 euros. The head of the production union responsible for metal workers (PRO-GE), Reinhold Binder, described the industry’s offer as “an insolence and an incredible lack of respect towards the workers”.
“Company bosses pat themselves on the thighs”
The federal government has “utterly failed” to combat high inflation, while citizens are “discussing at the family table how they can still afford to live,” PRO-GE’s chief negotiator said during the metal workers wage round. In the meantime, the company’s bosses would “slap each other on the thighs and motivate each other.”
According to the unions, 800 works councils from Lower Austria, Vienna and Burgenland took part in the meeting in St. Pölten and decided unanimously on company meetings. Another works council conference took place in Klagenfurt, and other cities across the country will follow next Monday.
Working meetings until November 1
“From now on, company meetings will be organized in the companies of all trade associations, which will take place between October 21 and November 1. Depending on the further progress of the negotiations, the concrete measures will be determined that will lead to the enforcement of the demands,” the report said on Thursday afternoon.
Employer: “Our offer is based on common sense”
Employers from the Metal Technology Industry Association (FMTI) also spoke out. Its chairman, Styrian industrialist Christian Knill, emphasized: “We will not solve these challenges with the old recipes of the past. Our offer to strengthen purchasing power while ensuring business viability is based on common sense and is an attempt at a creative solution in these difficult times. We will continue to work on this from October 20.”
Wide range of inflation up to 16 percent plus
More than two weeks ago, union members presented employers with a demand for 11.6 percent more wages and salaries, and since then there have been two fruitless rounds of negotiations. Deals in other sectors were all up around 10 percent in recent weeks, with inflation at 9.6 percent over the past 12 months. Pensions will increase by 9.7 percent, the social professions have demanded an increase of 15 percent in their KV round. Parcel deliverers have reached the highest level of performance in recent times; they receive 16 percent more wages.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
