Austria: 3.45 percent average wage increase in tourism and the hotel business

3.45 percent average increase.  It took the social partners in the Austrian tourism industry, which employs 200,000 people, five meetings before they could agree on a pay agreement on Tuesday, July 10.  Here are the key provisions of the agreement: sectoral minimum wage (€1,205) will increase by 3 percent, retroactively on July 1, 2012.  All other wages will increase by 3.45 percent on the same date.  On December 1, 2012, all wages below €1,300 gross a month will increase to that level.  Finally, minimum wage will increase again on May 1, 2013, up to €1,320.  All other wages will also increase again, by 0.5 percent, on July 1, 2013.  Apprenticeship pay will increase by €40 a month on July 1, 2012.  The agreement will run until April 30, 2014.