Demos in Vienna and Salzburg: Protest marches further increased union pressure on retail salary negotiations on Wednesday. According to union information, about 1,000 workers in Vienna, including many members of the works council, expressed anger at the offer. At the work meetings last week, the atmosphere was already very heated.
The employer’s offer – four percent more salary plus a one-off payment – was rejected. “Commercial workers are not a bargain,” the union said. That would be a “major loss of purchasing power for all workers,” trade unionist Barbara Teiber told the APA after a rally in Vienna.
The workers’ representatives want a 10 percent salary increase. Given the record inflation, a considerable salary increase for the more than 400,000 commercial employees can be expected. The dealers would also benefit from the higher purchasing power, says Teiber.
One-time payment is declined
Employers are currently offering a four percent wage and salary increase plus a one-time benefit. With a gross minimum wage of 1900 euros, this would result in a tax-free premium of 756 euros, plus 10.56 percent in this lowest wage group, trade chairman Rainer Trefelik recently argued. The union rejects one-off payments.
On 22 November, the social partners will meet for the fourth time to negotiate a new collective labor agreement. A free shopping Sunday in Advent, as recently demanded by mall operator Richard Lugner, is not a problem at all, trade unionist Teiber said. Other subjects, such as the allowance scheme in the retail sector, have also faded into the background. “With inflation, it’s all about the money,” Teiber said.
Source: Krone
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