Austria: 2.5% wage increase in metalworking

Austrian metal employers didn’t flag on the issue of working time. In mid-October, they unilaterally decided not to include this subject into the negotiations. Indeed, it isn’t mentioned in the agreement signed on Saturday. While the Austrian economy has taken off again, that unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the EU, and that overtime is up again, employers want the introduction of a more flexible working time system, notably via the extension of the period for the calculation of overtime from 1 to 2 years. However, the trade unions are hostile to the idea because it would lead to turning part of overtime into normal working time.  They still want working time to be cut, overtime to be limited and businesses to recruit.
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the issue of working time. In mid-October, they unilaterally decided not to include this subject into the negotiations. Indeed, it isn’t mentioned in the agreement signed on Saturday. While the Austrian economy has taken off again, that unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the EU, and that overtime is up again, employers want the introduction of a more flexible working time system, notably via the extension of the period for the calculation of overtime from 1 to 2 years. However, the trad

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