Civil servants’ salaries will rise between 9.15 and 9.71 percent in 2024.
In the coming year, the salaries of the Federal President, the members of the government, the Presidents of the National Council, the club chairmen, the President of the Court of Auditors and the Ombudsmen will not be increased. If salaries had been adjusted to inflation, they would have had to rise by 9.7 percent. Members of the National Council and members of the Federal Council receive half the inflation adjustment and thus a salary increase of 4.85 percent.
There were no requirements for top politicians in the federal states. People don’t like to dictate anything to them, said Green MP Eva Blimlinger. Instead, there was a recommendation in advance to only increase salaries by half, i.e. by 4.85 percent. While some countries follow this, others will not increase salaries by 9.7 percent until July 2024. Only in Burgenland is there a zero wage round.
Criticism came from FPÖ chairman Herbert Kickl, who called for the zero wage round to be extended to the states. However, even in federal states co-governed by the FPÖ, there will be no zero wage round. Kickl, who only started talking about salaries after a digression on the topic of Corona and a call to the matter from the second President of the National Council, Doris Bures (SPÖ), justified this by saying that he was only a junior partner in the respective governments. Kickl would “just rush,” commented ÖVP club chairman August Wöginger during a heated debate. However, there was approval from the SPÖ, although this was coupled with criticism: Since the government has not stopped the inflation, it is also fair that it does not receive a salary increase, said Selma Yildirim.
The National Council also approved the salary agreement for the public sector, with the exception of NEOS. Federal civil servants and contract employees will receive 9.15 percent or at least 192 euros more next year. Low salaries increase by 9.71 percent, allowances also increase by 9.15 percent.
Public service employees are the guarantee for maintaining public life, said Romana Deckenbacher, ÖVP MP and deputy chairwoman of the Public Service Union (GÖD). Vice Chancellor Werner Kogler (Greens) also committed to making the public service more attractive. Gerald Loacker (NEOS), however, criticized the fact that public service qualifications are higher than those of metal workers (8.6 percent).
