FPÖ and NEOS for Reversal of WKÖ Salary Increases

FPÖ and NEOS renewed their long-standing demand to end the mandatory membership of businesses in the Chamber of Commerce.

FPÖ compares WKÖ with ARBÖ and ÖAMTC - NEOS for the abolition of Chamber Levy 2

"The system remains completely untouched," said Schnedlitz regarding the interim leadership of the Chamber of Commerce by WKÖ Vice President and Tyrolean entrepreneur Martha Schultz (ÖVP). They will "turn over every single stone in the Chamber of Commerce" and loudly push for reforms, announced the FPÖ Secretary General. The Freedom Party wants to introduce voluntary membership for the Chamber of Commerce like in Switzerland, then according to the FPÖ, the Chamber would have to attract members with "a good offer and service". Voluntary membership also works well in Austria with the automobile clubs ARBÖ and ÖAMTC, said Schnedlitz.

In the short term, the NEOS want to abolish Chamber Levy 2, which companies have to pay, at the Chamber of Commerce. This levy was "introduced at the end of the seventies due to an acute crisis and then never abolished again," said the NEOS parliamentary group leader to "Ö1". FPÖ and NEOS pointed to the estimated "reserves" of the Chamber of Commerce of 2 billion euros. In view of the "economically difficult times," it would be "urgently necessary" to dissolve these "reserves," demanded NEOS politician Shetty.

FPÖ SME spokesperson Michael Fürtbauer drew a comparison between the Chamber of Commerce and the world's largest business association at the press conference. The Austrian Chamber of Commerce and the regional Chambers of Commerce are "five times smaller" in terms of the number of represented companies compared to the United States Chamber of Commerce and have "six times as much money". Fürtbauer wants to "shrink" the Chamber of Commerce's funding lines through legislative changes in parliament.

Freedom Economy Launches Online Petition for Chamber of Commerce Reform

To increase pressure, the Chamber of Commerce faction Freedom Economy (FW) has launched an online petition titled "End Mandatory Membership - Reform the Chamber" at http://kammer-reform.at/. The petition runs until the end of March 2026. In addition to the abolition of mandatory membership, it calls for "full transparency" in compensations, budgets, participations, and advertisements, a growth fund from chamber reserves, and "a democratic voting right" for the Economic Parliament and WKÖ President. FW Secretary General Reinhard Langthaler stated that they are demanding "a contemporary structure" for the Chamber of Commerce. The NEOS criticized the Freedom Economy. "The Freedom Party supported the outrageous increase in functionary compensations in the WKO and also approved the above-average wage adjustment," said NEOS Secretary General Douglas Hoyos in a statement on Monday.

Stocker: Chamber of Commerce Must "Recognize the Signs of the Times"

Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker (ÖVP) emphasized last Friday that Mahrer, with his resignation, "paved the way for a reorganization" of the Chamber of Commerce. With Martha Schultz, an experienced entrepreneur is taking over the business on an interim basis. "I expect everyone in the Chamber of Commerce to understand and quickly address the causes of the significant loss of trust. The Chamber of Commerce must recognize the signs of the times. This applies to the salary increases as well as to the necessary streamlining of structures and a contribution to relieving companies," said the Chancellor.

The new head of the SPÖ Economic Association, Bernd Hinteregger, called for "the largest and most comprehensive WKO reform of all time" in an APA interview. From his perspective, this includes capping chamber levies and modernizing the electoral system. Hinteregger advocates for maintaining mandatory membership in the Chamber of Commerce: "The system established over decades has served Austria well," said the SWV chief. The Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) pushed for a leaner Chamber of Commerce last week. The IV board has developed its own reform proposals for the chamber and wants to discuss and implement them as soon as possible. The IV is not a "real" social partner but a voluntary association for Austria's larger (industrial) companies.

(APA/Red)

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