24hoursworld

Will the trains stand still in Austria on Monday?

Will the trains stand still in Austria on Monday?

In a letter available to the APA, the employer representatives of the union have offered new appointments for talks in the coming week. “Of course we don’t want to turn down this possibility,” said the union when asked by APA. The appointment must be before Monday.

“We are in agreement as to whether we can get a hearing date before the weekend, i.e. before midnight on Sunday, in order to achieve an acceptable result – that is a prerequisite for avoiding a warning strike,” continued a vida spokesman. The demand for a pay increase of 400 euros for all employees remains valid. This was originally at 500 euros, so employers had already been accommodated by 20 percent.

400 euros is far too much for the company representatives

The 400 euros are far too much for the company representatives. According to their own statements, however, they offer the best offer in the autumn wage round so far, which also surpasses the conclusion of the metal industry. Specifically, this means an average salary increase across all salary classes of 8 percent from December 1st and also a one-off amount of 1,000 euros in December. “This results in an average increase in KV wages and salaries of at least 9 percent,” write the employer representatives of the Chamber of Commerce to the employee representatives of the union.

The union has consistently rejected one-time payment offers in all wage rounds this year. The railway workers’ employers write that they have taken note of this. “But we also ask you to note that this initiative – no longer to negotiate average percentages, but monthly minimum amounts in euros on all salaries – completely changes the rules of the game of the social partnership and KV negotiations.” The 400 euros would mean an average salary increase of a good 13 percent, in the lower salary brackets up to 24 percent.

“Approach each other”

But they want to “approach each other,” according to the employer representatives. “How can we divide the cake differently? More talks are needed for that.” November 28th or 29th is suggested.

The employers also call on Tuesday, 29.11. at 3 p.m. a general meeting, it was said to the APA. Then the further course of action in the stalled KV negotiations will be discussed and the negotiating team will be expanded. In addition to the already existing circle of passenger transport, private railways and inner-city transport companies, further representatives of companies in rail passenger transport, rail freight transport, catering on the train and sleeping car rental on the employer side are to be added.

“The railway industry does not act independently of the market and as a social partner we have to take all the companies we represent with us,” said Thomas Scheiber, chairman of the association, on Thursday at the APA. As examples, he named rail freight transport with its very competitive environment and the problem of high energy costs. “How are companies supposed to be able to meet the demands of the trade union at this level without suffering competitive disadvantages compared to other sectors and the road and without putting jobs at risk?” asked Scheiber.

The union had been accommodated again and again in the past rounds. Now it needs a constructive signal on your part, demanded Scheiber. However, vida has just obtained permission from the Austrian Trade Union Confederation (ÖGB) for an Austria-wide 24-hour warning strike in the railway sector. The strike was scheduled for Monday, November 28, 2022, from midnight to midnight, according to a statement by vida. The reason: “An insufficient offer from the employer side below the average rolling inflation and the abrupt termination of the negotiations by the employers after the fifth round of KV negotiations on Sunday (…).”

Source: Nachrichten

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts