No movement on the employer side – two-hour warning strikes starting tomorrow
Vienna (OTS) – In the collective bargaining negotiations for the approximately 50,000 employees in the chemical industry, the sixth round of negotiations ended without an agreement. “The employers have only moved in the tenth of a percent range with their offer. The wage and salary increases offered are still far below the average inflation rate of the last twelve months,” report the negotiators from PRO-GE and GPA, Alfred Artmäuer and Günther Gallistl. “As already announced, we will stop work in the companies for two-hour warning strikes starting tomorrow,” the union members announced. The next hearing will take place on June 17th. “We will of course continue to increase union action if no agreement is reached in the next round.”
Artmäuer and Gallistl criticize that the employer negotiators would insist on justification positions and thereby consciously challenge the conflict. But you shouldn’t underestimate the anger of the employees, warn the trade unionists: “The employees and the works councils are really angry with the employer negotiators. Nobody understands why something shouldn’t be possible in the chemical industry of all places is already a reality in all other sectors: namely a degree above rolling inflation.”
The new collective agreement should have been in force for over a month. “We have shown a lot of patience in the interests of a functioning social partnership, but it will come to an end at some point. We finally expect a conclusion on June 17th,” demand Artmäuer and Gallistl, “But we are also not afraid to lead the conflict if “Employers continue to not put a serious offer on the table.”
Questions & Contact:
PRO-GE public relations
Wolfgang Purer
Tel.: 01 53 444 69263
Mobil: 0664 6145 926
E-Mail: wolfgang.purer@proge.at
Web: www.proge.at
GPA public relations
Mag. Martin Panholzer
Tel.: 05 0301-21511
Mobil: 05 0301-61511
E-Mail: martin.panholzer@gpa.at
Web: www.gpa.at