Social partners in the main branch of Austria’s metal industry (machinery and tools) reached a collective agreement in the late hours on Sunday 18 November, meaning the sector narrowly avoided a strike that would have kicked off on Monday. The deal was reached by the FMMI (Association of the Austrian Machinery and Metalware Industries), Pro-GE (Union of Production Workers) and the GPA-djp (Union of Private Sector Employees), and will apply to 130,000 workers in the sector. Struck following 64 hours of negotiations and 7 meetings, the deal includes an average pay rise of 3.46%, a minimum wage increase of 4.3% (or 80 euros), as well as numerous other improvements. To the great satisfaction of trade unions in the country, the agreement rectifies several aspects of the controversial new law in the country on working time, which came into force on 1 September. The agreement is applicable retroactively as of 1 November.
Annual collective bargaining in Austria’s metal industry, which traditionally take place separately in six sub-branches, has been marked this year by the desire on the part of trade unions to limit the effects of a new law in the country on working time (see article n°10818). The law, which came into force on 1 September, allows employers to increase working time under certain conditions to up to 12 hours per day and 60 hours per week. In future, under measures that will take effect from 1 July
…Do you have information to share with us?