2024-11-11 19:47:00
The second round of negotiations for the 130,000 employees of the Austrian Social Economy Collective Agreement (SWÖ – private care, health and social sector) was interrupted after 10 hours. After there was no movement on the part of the employers regarding the salary increase, the GPA and vida unions increased the pressure with works meetings, actions and demonstrations. ++++
Eva Scherz, negotiator for the GPA union, explains: “Highly professional work in care, support, health and social services is worth more than is currently paid. Remaining at the previous level in the form of an increase exactly in line with the inflation rate does not show the appreciation that our colleagues deserve. We are therefore increasing the pressure. At Austria-wide works meetings, employees are informed about the status of negotiations. In addition, we will use demonstrations and actions in companies to let employers know what we think of their blockade. The employees are behind us and are supporting us in the negotiations.”
“If you want to make the industry more attractive, you need two key factors: a higher salary and better working conditions. In today’s negotiations we addressed both, but we did not see any significant movement from the employers. This is not the treatment that the employees, who achieve socially relevant top performances every day, deserve,” says Sonja Hör, negotiator for the vida union.
Employers have not increased their offer in line with the inflation rate. The following union measures are now being taken:
+ Work meetings throughout Austria during working hours
+ Works council conference in Styria (November 12, 2024)
+ Demonstration in Vienna (11/18/2024)
+ Rally in Linz (11/19/2024)
+ various public actions
+ Austria-wide campaign “6 minutes for 6.1 percent” – employees interrupt their work for 6 minutes (November 22, 2024)
The next round of negotiations will take place on November 25, 2024. The new collective agreement applies from January 1, 2025.
In the social economy, 70 percent are women, 70 percent work part-time. Although the employees work highly professionally and are excellently trained, the salaries are below average and the working conditions are very demanding.
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**Interview with Eva Scherz, Negotiator for the GPA Union**
*Date: November 12, 2024*
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us, Eva. Can you start by giving us a brief overview of the recent negotiations regarding the Austrian Social Economy Collective Agreement?
**Eva Scherz:** Absolutely. We recently had the second round of negotiations for the 130,000 employees covered by this agreement in the private care, health, and social sectors. Unfortunately, after 10 hours of discussions, we had to interrupt the talks as there was no movement from the employers on the crucial issue of salary increases.
**Interviewer:** That sounds frustrating. What specific changes are the unions, GPA and vida, advocating for?
**Eva Scherz:** We are advocating for a significant increase in salaries that reflects the professionalism and dedication of our workers in care and social services. Currently, the proposed increase aligns only with inflation, which fails to show the appreciation that these workers deserve for the essential services they provide.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned increasing pressure through works meetings, actions, and demonstrations. What kind of actions can we expect from the unions in the coming weeks?
**Eva Scherz:** We are prepared to mobilize our members and the public to raise awareness about the importance of fair compensation for our workforce. This could include a series of demonstrations and organized events to put constructive pressure on employers to come back to the table with a more acceptable offer.
**Interviewer:** What message would you like to convey to the employers during this negotiation process?
**Eva Scherz:** Our message is clear: the highly skilled and vital work done in care, support, health, and social services deserves more than just a token increase. We need to acknowledge the realities of the cost of living and the value these professionals bring to our communities. We are ready to negotiate, but we need to see genuine recognition of their contributions in the form of meaningful salary increases.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for your insights, Eva. We wish you and the unions the best of luck in the ongoing negotiations.
**Eva Scherz:** Thank you for having me. We appreciate the support and hope to reach a fair agreement soon.
