Stocker praises social partners after metalworkers' collective agreement conclusion

"The salary agreement of the metalworkers is a positive sign and helps to achieve the inflation target of 2 percent in the coming year," said Federal Chancellor Stocker in a written statement. "Only in this way will we break the wage-price spiral and sustainably get inflation under control."

Praise after Metalworkers' Collective Agreement also from NEOS and Minister of Economy Hattmannsdorfer

The deputy club chairwoman of NEOS, Martina von Künsberg Sarre, was also "very impressed" on Tuesday that the metalworkers' agreement came about so quickly. She took it as a sign that "the metalworkers see that it is a societal effort to get the economy in Austria back on the right track." She now hopes that the civil servants' union will also decide to enter into talks to reopen the salary package agreed last year.

Hattmannsdorfer was also pleased with the quick compromise. "The express agreement of the metalworkers is a strong sign that social partnership is working," he said on Tuesday at the WKÖ Trade Day in Vienna. The staff representatives in the companies are aware of the economic challenges. "We can only secure jobs together" and "achieve the upswing," said the Minister of Economy.

For Gewessler, the agreement shows "that compromises are possible even in difficult times." Now it would be the task of the federal government to tackle the issues of fighting inflation and economic recovery, she said on Tuesday during a press conference. Because, as shown by the metalworkers, "a lot is possible if you take action and not just announce."

Metalworkers' Collective Agreement significantly below inflation

In this year's metalworkers' wage round, the negotiators agreed on a new collective agreement for the approximately 190,000 employees on Monday afternoon after just a few hours. The wage and salary increases are significantly below the average inflation of the past twelve months: From November 1, 2025, actual wages and salaries will increase by 1.4 percent, and minimum wages will be raised by 2 percent. From November 1, 2026, actual wages and salaries will increase by 1.9 percent and collectively agreed minimum wages by 2.1 percent.

(APA/Red)

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