KV trade: Negotiations broken off by employers – warning strikes started

2023-11-28 22:25:18

According to us, employers are not willing to agree to a fair salary and insist on a one-off payment

Vienna (OTS) – The fourth round of collective bargaining negotiations for the 430,000 employees and apprentices in retail also failed to produce an agreement on November 28th. Employers are still unwilling to make an offer that exceeds the rolling inflation rate of 9.2%. All over Austria, in selected locations from November 30th. until 3.12. first warning strikes took place.

“In view of the high price increases, a six percent salary increase plus a one-off payment is an affront to the employees, some of whom no longer know how to make ends meet financially. The fact that the employers did not take up our offer for a socially graded qualification, which would have increased the lower salary groups more, shows how far they are from the reality of life of their own employees,” said the GPA’s chief negotiator, Helga Fichtinger.

The GPA’s demand is 9.4% plus a fixed amount of 15 euros, which means an average salary increase of 9.97%.

“The first wave of warning strikes was launched today by employers. The support from employees is great and is increasing day by day. We have offered another negotiation date for December 5th or 6th,” adds Martin Müllauer, Chairman of the Trade Department in the GPA.