KV negotiations

Wage disputes now threaten to continue

Labor disputes broke out last fall. Negotiations are now underway again.

(Bild: APA/ROLAND SCHLAGER)

In the fall, several wage negotiations ended in disputes and strikes. This is now threatening to happen again: the spring wage rounds are starting for around 130,000 industrial employees in some sectors. The trade unions are once again demanding "sustainable increases against inflation".

The Pro-Ge and GPA unions are using annual inflation since February 2023 to date, which amounts to 6.8 percent, as the basis for negotiations. They are also demanding a share of the increased productivity in the respective sectors.

"The federal government lacks any commitment to fighting inflation. Sustainable wage increases therefore remain the only way to maintain the purchasing power of employees," the union's chief negotiators for the electrical industry, who are starting their collective bargaining round with their 60,000 employees with immediate effect, warn.

Talks are also starting in the paper industry (8,000 employees). The textile industry (7500 employees) will follow next week, followed on April 4 by the chemical industry, which is the third largest industry with 50,000 employees. In May, it will be the turn of glass production (7,000 employees).

Slightly more relaxed starting point than in the fall
Whether the negotiations will lead to strikes as in the fall is of course still open. The starting point is somewhat more relaxed because inflation was still much higher back then at 9.6 percent than it is now. The trade unionists therefore also demanded an 11.6 percent wage increase for the metalworkers, and the negotiations, including works meetings and strikes in between, lasted eight rounds. They finally agreed on an 8.6 percent pay rise.