Austria, which has few strikes thanks to the social partnership, has not experienced this for a long time. Exactly on Monday at midnight there is a nationwide strike of the railway workers. The brewers are also organizing a warning strike on Monday. Both sectors have in common that the Chamber of Commerce negotiations between the social partners – trade union and Chamber of Commerce – falter. The same also applies to trade actions – here Friday and Saturday strikes threaten.
The bargaining trade KV involves higher salaries for some 430,000 employees and apprentices in the retail, wholesale and car trade. Talks could be held again on Tuesday to avert strikes, but the date has not yet been set.
Strike decisions in more than 300 companies
A GPA spokesperson explained to the APA on Sunday afternoon that there are strike orders from local work meetings in more than 300 businesses. Among them are large retail chains – including from the food industry -, textile chains, wholesalers and hardware stores. Where there is no works council, there are no corresponding decisions, so there is no threat of strikes.
However, in the negotiations for 50,000 railway workers from 65 companies, Sunday’s fifth round of negotiations remained without results. Employers were in shock after the union turned down what it said was the best offer yet in the current fall wage round.
Pointing the finger to each other
The union, in turn, accused employers of being responsible for the strike. This lasts on Mondays from midnight to midnight. Most municipal carriers are road only. This includes the subway in Vienna, but not the S-Bahn. Postbuses run, there is no rail replacement service – except for the City Airport Train (CAT), which connects Vienna with Vienna International Airport.
Looking for new appointments
The brewers also stop working on Monday. Further talks are scheduled for December 9. On Tuesday at the earliest, the rail workers are again busy finding new dates for talks in which new ways are sought to solve the thorny situation.
Employees do not accept a one-off payment
What all negotiations have in common is that the employees reject the offered wage increases as too low and do not accept one-off payments. The employers’ side accuses the unions of wanting too much in a difficult situation. The workers’ side, in turn, points to galloping inflation – and that people now have to earn enough not to fall under the wheels.
Incidentally, the last multi-day strike of railway workers was in 2003. It was then about a major reform of the ÖBB under the black-blue government. Trade strikes threaten on Friday and Saturday.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
