Clause applied

Lower wage increase for 3600 voest employees

The clause is also being applied at companies in Styria - here the stainless steel plant in Kapfenberg.

(Bild: Katrin Kirchmayr)

In mid-November, voestalpine CEO Herbert Eibensteiner had already let it be known that the competition and employment protection clause was to be withdrawn at four of the steel group's companies in Austria. After negotiations with the works council, the clause was withdrawn at the Krieglach, Kapfenberg and Traisen plants. No agreement was reached at the foundry in Linz.

Thanks to its global positioning and broad product range, voestalpine is able to get through these challenging times relatively well. Nevertheless, things are not running smoothly in all companies, which is why CEO Herbert Eibensteiner revealed as early as mid-November that the company was in intensive discussions with employee representatives in order to draw on the competition and employment protection clause agreed during the wage negotiations for the metalworkers.

Agreement reached for 3600 employees 
It was then announced on Thursday: Use will be made of this rule at four locations - namely tube production in Krieglach, at Böhler Edelstahl and Böhler Aerospace in Kapfenberg and at the foundry in Traisen. The managing directors of the respective companies were able to reach satisfactory solutions for the 3600 employees in total with the employee representatives there.

What does the clause provide for? The wages and salaries of the employees in the voest companies affected will only increase by 3.3% or 4.05% instead of the 4.8% increase otherwise applicable in the metal industry. Employees will receive a one-off bonus or time off as compensation.

Measures for foundry in Linz under review
The talks at the foundry in Linz did not produce any results: in January, an evaluation will therefore be carried out to determine what measures need to be taken there in order to counteract the current challenging environment. What consequences this may have for the employees is being left open.