WKÖ trade chairman Trefelik: “Social partnership in Austrian trade works”
Vienna (OTS) – “With an increase in the salaries of around 450,000 employees in Austrian retail by an average of 8.4 percent, we have reached a collective agreement today, Wednesday, in the spirit of a functioning social partnership in Austrian retail,” says Rainer Trefelik, chairman of the federal trade division in the Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ) and chief negotiator on the employer side, after the seventh round of negotiations. This means that the collective agreement increase of 0.8 percent is well below rolling inflation, which is due to the difficult situation in Austrian trade. It was also important that there was no two-year agreement because that would have limited the scope for action in 2024 in volatile times.
Specifically, employer and employee representatives have agreed on an increase in salaries for employees in Austrian retail by an average of 8.4 percent, and by 8.3 percent in most salary levels. The starting salary of currently 1,945 euros per month will be increased to 2,124 euros.
“We are aware that these cost increases will be very challenging for many companies. The framework conditions from the public sector set a high bar. In any case, we hope that 2024 will be better than forecast,” said trading chairman Trefelik.
Teaching in trade is being upgraded again
An attractive increase was also agreed for the apprentices: the apprentice’s income increases to 880 euros in the first year of training, to 1,130 in the second year, to 1,430 in the third year and to 1,490 euros in the fourth year. “That means an average increase of 10 percent for our apprentices. This greatly enhances teaching in domestic trade and represents an important investment in the future of trade,” emphasizes trade chairman Trefelik.
The new collective agreement for commercial employees comes into force on January 1, 2024. (PWK484/DFS/JHR)
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