Former Head of PRO-GE and FSG Rainer Wimmer Passed Away

"With deep sadness, we must say goodbye to Rainer Wimmer. Rainer was always a works council member at heart - with a great sense for people and unconditional commitment to the employees," said PRO-GE head Reinhold Binder in a statement on Wednesday. Wimmer significantly shaped the Austrian trade union movement.

Trade Union and Employers Mourn Rainer Wimmer

Wimmer significantly shaped the Austrian trade union movement, said his successor at the head of PRO-GE, Binder, praising his "unconditional commitment to the employees." ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian also expressed being "deeply affected." For Wimmer, representing employee interests was "a profession and a calling," said Katzian: "His fighting spirit for fair working conditions was legendary, this commitment and especially his fair negotiation style earned him the respect of many employers." Additionally, Wimmer was "a reliable partner in the fight against right-wing extremism." "Rainer Wimmer will be sorely missed," said AK President Renate Anderl, emphasizing that improving the living and working conditions of employees was always at the center of Wimmer's actions.

Wimmer was also acknowledged by the employers' side. His counterpart in the metalworkers' negotiations on the employers' side, Christian Knill, recalled "a tough negotiator with handshake quality, who was always a fair partner even in the often all-night negotiations." Through his commitment to social partnership, Wimmer also made an important contribution to Austria as a location, said the chairman of the Metal Technology Industry Association (FMTI). The Federal Division of Industry in the Chamber of Commerce regretted that the Austrian social partnership, just a month after the death of GPA chief negotiator Karl Dürtscher, "loses another outstanding employee representative who significantly co-developed domestic industrial policy at the negotiating table and as a long-time member of the National Council." The Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) also expressed deep sadness in a statement. Wimmer stood for "factual and solution-oriented discussions in social partnership," and his commitment to the industrial location made him a reliable partner.

Great Sadness Over Rainer Wimmer's Death Across Party Lines

As "a defining voice in social partnership - with a clear stance, handshake quality, and great commitment," Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) honored the deceased trade unionist on the short message service X. "With Rainer Wimmer, we lose a great social democrat and passionate trade unionist who dedicated his life to the service of working people," declared Vice Chancellor Andreas Babler (SPÖ) in a statement. The Greens and FPÖ also expressed their sadness. Green social spokesperson Markus Koza described Wimmer as a "passionate fighter for the interests of employees - both in the union and in parliament." FPÖ social spokesperson Dagmar Belakowitsch attested to the deceased that he "always represented his concerns for the employees with commitment, consistency, and passion."

Wimmer had been at the helm of the PRO-GE union since its founding in 2009, and from 2018, the Upper Austrian was also chairman of the faction of Social Democratic Trade Unionists (FSG) in the ÖGB. In 2023, he retired from both positions. In public, he was particularly known in recent decades as the chief negotiator for the metalworkers during the annual autumn wage round from 2009 to 2022. Between 1993 and 2024, Wimmer also sat in the National Council for the SPÖ with two interruptions.

Rainer Wimmer Until 2023 PRO-GE and FSG Head

Born in Hallstadt in 1955, Wimmer was actually a trained electrician and worked as such at the salt mines. The long-time central works council member began his career as a trade unionist at the Agricultural-Food-Enjoyment Union, which he led before it merged into PRO-GE. In 1993, he entered the National Council for the SPÖ for the first time, where he held a mandate with interruptions from 2008 to 2013 and 2017 to 2018 until the previous year. In his hometown of Hallstadt, Wimmer was the local chairman of the SPÖ for decades and mayor between 1988 and 1993.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.