Image: HANS KLAUS TECHT (APA)
The talks could hardly have been more bumpy: First, employer representatives canceled the negotiations at short notice due to anonymous threats, and then the talks that were resumed afterwards were broken off after a short time without any results. The positions were too far apart.
The employer representatives from the Metal Technology Industry Association (FMTI) stuck to their previous offer on Friday, while the employee representatives from the PRO-GE and GPA unions saw this as “not willing to conduct serious negotiations.” At the company meetings, which are scheduled to take place across Austria from Monday, “precautionary resolutions for trade union action” will also be obtained, the employee representatives said in a broadcast on Friday.
The unions want 11.6 percent more wages for the metalworkers, the employers’ offer is 2.5 percent and an annual one-off payment of 1,050 euros. Together with the government’s anti-inflation measures, this would cover inflation, argues the employers’ side.
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