Negotiations on a new collective agreement for retail, wholesale and car dealerships entered the eagerly awaited fourth round on Tuesday. And again there was no agreement. The talks ended around 10 p.m. The ideas are still too far apart. Now the union has again announced works meetings. But there should also be another round of negotiations.
The pressure on the employers’ representatives had recently increased due to the demonstrations in Vienna and Salzburg. “Commercial employees are not a bargain,” the union rejected the employer’s four percent offer in the run-up to the round of negotiations. That would be a major loss of purchasing power for all employees, said trade unionist Barbara Teiber. The union has softened slightly on wage demands and is now asking for 8.5 percent plus a minimum, giving low earners a double-digit increase. On average, the increase in salary would be 9.37 percent, according to chief negotiator Helga Fichtinger.
The atmosphere was already very heated at the works meetings last week, reports Teiber. In view of the record inflation, a decent salary increase for the more than 400,000 commercial employees must be expected. Retailers would also benefit from the higher purchasing power.
The union rejects one-off payments
Employers are currently offering a wage and salary increase of four percent plus a one-off payment. With a gross minimum wage of EUR 1,900, this would result in a tax-free premium of EUR 756, which means plus 10.56 percent in this lowest wage group, trade chairman Rainer Trefelik recently argued. The union rejects one-off payments.
During the negotiations on Tuesday, an open shopping Sunday in Advent, as recently demanded by shopping center operator Richard Lugner, was not an issue, as was heard from the union. Other topics, such as the surcharge regulations in retail, have also receded into the background. “With inflation, it’s all about the money,” Teiber said.
The union has proposed a new hearing date for November 29. Should this not happen, strikes are planned for December 2 and 3.