Spring Collective Agreement Negotiations: Still No Agreement in the Chemical and Electrical Industry

Both trade associations described the spring collective agreement negotiations as constructive, but no specific wage and salary demands or offers were published. The negotiations will continue for the chemical industry on April 23 and for the electrical industry on April 30.

Economic Environment Influences Spring Collective Agreement Negotiations in Chemical and Electrical Industries

The inflation rate relevant to the negotiations in the electrical industry is 2.75 percent, according to the unions PRO-GE and GPA. On Tuesday, the unions made it clear that there should be no zero-wage round. If no agreement is reached in the third round of negotiations, employee representatives plan to convene a nationwide conference of works council members to decide on the further course of action, it was announced in a statement on Wednesday. The Association of the Electrical and Electronics Industry (FEEI) pointed to the high costs of labor in Austria. "We are no longer competitive. The increased personnel costs can often no longer be passed on to customers," said FEEI Chairman Wolfgang Hesoun according to the statement.

The chemical industry is also struggling with the economic environment. High energy and personnel costs are putting a heavy burden on companies. "Against this background, what is needed now is prudence and responsibility in the collective agreement negotiations," said Ernst Gruber, chief negotiator of the Association of the Chemical Industry of Austria (FCIO). The unions PRO-GE and GPA plan to inform and consult with the works council members of the chemical sector at a nationwide conference on Thursday about the further course of action. "Although the talks have taken place in a constructive framework, an offer from the employers is still awaited," said the chief negotiators on the employee side, Josef Schernberger (PRO-GE) and Mario Mayrwöger (GPA).

Spring Collective Agreement Negotiations in Chemical and Electrical Industries: Discussions on Sixth Week of Vacation and Leisure Option

The bargaining is not only about raising the collective agreement and actual wages, but also about the framework law, such as vacation days or overtime pay. For the electrical sector, the unions are demanding that the allowance for the second shift be increased to 1.50 euros per hour and for the third shift to five euros per hour.

Once again, the focus is also on easier access to the sixth week of vacation. There is also to be discussion about the continuation of the leisure option, which expires after ten years with the collective agreement conclusion in 2025. Through this option, employees have the opportunity to convert the actual increase into permanently more paid leisure time via individual agreement.

Last year, for the approximately 60,000 employees in the electrical and electronics industry, there was an agreement between the social partners after three rounds of negotiations: collective agreement wages and salaries increased by 7.5 percent, actual incomes by 6.8 percent. It was tough going in the chemical industry, where the social partners needed seven rounds to reach an agreement. Incomes increased by 6.33 percent, but by a maximum of 316.50 euros per month.

(APA/Red)

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