Yesterday, in Vienna, the metal employers announced that they were no longer ready to discuss flexible working time within the framework of collective negotiations, which just opened and which affect 165,000 employees in the sector. They want to “delegate the subject to a higher power” declared Christoph Hinteregger, negotiator for employers, i.e. ask the government to legislate. They think it’s safer, even though nothing guarantees that the government coalition, composed of social-democrats and conservatives, will manage to agree on this. Mr. Hinteregger already mentioned this idea at the end of September, when the trade unions came to present wage claim ranging between 2 and 3% (see our dispatch No. 100654). But no one really believed it, especially since Erich Foglar, leader of the Confederation of Austrian Trade Unions (ÖGB) had recently asked its colleagues in the metal industry to reach a compromise: “If employers want more flexibility and that employees want to negotiate working time cuts, I think it’s obvious there’s ground for compromise” he declared. Like last year, negotiations on flexible working time are therefore postponed indefinitely (see our dispatches No. 091046, 100532 and 100604). This time, it is because of employers, not quite ready to accept the concessions requested by the trade unions (drastic overtime limit). This tactical move also decreases their possibilities to pressure employers to increase pay levels. Now, negotiations are going to focus on pay. At least, both parties agreed on the level of indicators used for the negotiation. Namely a 1.31% inflation rate between September 2010 and September 2011 and the last growth forecasts of the Austrian Economic Studies Institute (Wifo), expecting a 2% growth in 2010. This is where understanding stops. While the trade unions say this figures show an improvement that justifies straight wage increases, employers are talking about a “flash in the pan” that may be over very soon.
ployers, not quite ready to accept the concessions requested by the trade unions (drastic overtime limit). This tactical move also decreases their possibilities to pressure employers to increase pay levels. Now, negotiations are going to focus on pay. At least, both parties agreed on the level of indicators used for the negotiation. Namely a 1.31% inflation rate between September 2010 and September 2011 and the last growth forecasts of the Austrian Economic Studies Institute (Wifo), expecti
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