Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) on Tuesday promoted the possibility of paying out up to 3,000 euros “gross for net” as a bonus with a view to the pay round in the autumn. He wants to make a premium model rather than wage increases attractive to the social partners. This idea is met with skepticism by the Austrian Trade Union Federation.
The bonus model agreed with social partners offers employers the opportunity to give employees more money, “and this money is actually gross for net for both the employee and the employer,” says Nehammer. This employee bonus of up to 3,000 euros would be tax-free and tax-free and, moreover, exempt from social security contributions.
“In the autumn there are the often-mentioned autumn wage rounds and here it is especially important to provide incentives so that both social partners and employers see that they have room for maneuver here,” says Nehammer.
Experts warn against wage-price spiral
Economic experts recently pointed to the risk of a wage-price spiral, ie a further rise in inflation due to high levels of collective bargaining. High inflation would then become entrenched. Tax-free one-off payments can counteract this inflation carousel.
ÖGB lacks sustainability in one-off payments
However, for the ÖGB, one-off payments or bonuses cannot replace a salary increase. “KV negotiations are conducted with the aim of a sustainable wage and salary increase and a fair share of the employees in productivity growth. This sustainability is not given by one-off payments,” said ÖGB spokeswoman Litsa Kalaitzis.
Tax-free premiums are “a welcome extra sign of appreciation,” the spokeswoman said. The social partners had argued for its continuation. But: “The opposite conclusion, that with tax-free premiums that are agreed in the context of KV negotiations, restraint in wage and salary demands is to be expected, does not work.”
Source: Krone
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