2024-11-11 20:02:00
Today, Monday, November 11, 2024, the second round of negotiations on the social economy collective agreement (SWÖ-KV) took place between the Austrian Social Economy (SWÖ) and the unions. Employers continued to be confronted with a broad catalog of demands, but some convergences were achieved on some substantive points. For SWÖ managing director and negotiator Yvonne Hochsteiner, the current offer from employers is already “attractive” compared to the industry. ****
“We offer inflation for the affected twelve months from the start. We are doing this even though it is not yet clear whether the funding agencies will go along with this because the recession will force them to make enormous savings. “But we hope that the social sector remains unaffected so that services can continue to be offered to people in Austria in line with their needs,” explains Hochsteiner. Rolling inflation for the period November 2023 to October 2024 including the current flash estimate for October 2024 would currently be 3.53 percent.
For Hochsteiner there would be “hardly any leeway”: “We are willing to talk at certain points, but everything has to remain within a realistic framework. We must approach every additional non-monetary measure with a sense of proportion and offset them financially.”
Care allowance needs to be “repaired”.
When it comes to the issue of care subsidies, however, for SWÖ chairman Erich Fenninger, the employee and employer sides are united in their interests: “We urgently need a repair in the financing of the wage increase special-purpose subsidy law (EEZG), because many employees are currently not receiving this care subsidy, even though their activity would justify this.”
This particularly applies to the disabled sector, because according to the available data, almost half of the employees do not receive the care subsidy. Fenninger: “We want to repair this unequal treatment in the collective agreement, but the financing must also be available for this.”
The third and final scheduled round of negotiations on the social economy collective agreement will take place on November 25, 2024. “We are aiming to reach a fair conclusion in the third round of negotiations so that the SWÖ collective agreement can come into force on time on January 1, 2025 and the employees receive compensation for the inflation,” Hochsteiner concluded. (branch)
OTS ORIGINAL TEXT PRESS RELEASE UNDER THE EXCLUSIVE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SENDER FOR CONTENT – WWW.OTS.AT | SOW
1731356009
#negotiations #social #economy #Negotiations #entering #planned #SOCIAL #ECONOMY #AUSTRIA #Association #Austrian #Social
**Interview with Yvonne Hochsteiner, Managing Director of Austrian Social Economy (SWÖ)**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Yvonne. The second round of negotiations for the social economy collective agreement took place recently. Can you share some insights into how those negotiations are progressing?
**Hochsteiner:** Thank you for having me. The negotiations have indeed been complex, but we are beginning to see some convergences on key points. While employers faced a broad range of demands, it’s promising to see us moving towards consensus on several issues.
**Editor:** You mentioned that the current offer from employers is “attractive” compared to the industry. Can you elaborate on what makes it attractive?
**Hochsteiner:** Certainly. Our proposal includes inflation adjustments for the twelve-month period since November 2023. This is significant because we aim for our workforce to be fairly compensated despite the financial challenges faced by funding agencies. We believe that this adjustment is essential for retaining talent and ensuring services meet the needs of people in Austria.
**Editor:** Given the current economic climate and potential recession, how do you foresee this impacting the negotiations?
**Hochsteiner:** The recession is indeed a concern, as funding agencies may have to make tough decisions about their budgets. We hope that the social sector won’t be severely impacted because that would mean fewer services for people who rely on us. Our goal is to secure a deal that not only compensates our workers fairly but also sustains the critical services we provide.
**Editor:** What are the next steps in this negotiation process?
**Hochsteiner:** We will continue discussions with the unions, addressing any remaining concerns while also trying to solidify our proposals. It’s a delicate balance, but we are committed to reaching an agreement that benefits both the workforce and the communities we serve.
**Editor:** Thank you, Yvonne, for your insights and for the important work you’re doing in the social economy sector. We hope for a positive outcome from the negotiations.
**Hochsteiner:** Thank you! I appreciate the opportunity to share our perspective, and I share your hope for a positive resolution.
