"Do not worry, we, the metals, will not feed the dick." "Small newspaper.at

In the collective bargaining of metallurgists and trade workers, a crucial week is approaching: "We are done with our patience," trade unionists say.

of Manfred Neuper | 07:34, November 5, 2018

"We lack all sincerity," said workers' representatives, while employers have spoken of a "difficult start". Already after the first round of negotiations on the new collective agreement for nearly 420,000 employees in the commercial sector, it was clear that it would be a tough fight on Thursday. go to the fifth round.

This is not the only exciting confrontation with the KV that day. Metallurgists are also negotiating – and here the fronts are completely hardened before this fifth round of negotiations. Already since the previous week, protest meetings have been held in many companies – most of today. On Wednesday, there should be more than 300. The union, which calls for a wage and salary increase of 5% and comprehensive compensation measures to offset the new law on hours of work, accuses representatives of the metal sector of "mockery of the workers" for weeks. The motto is: "We are ready to fight."

In total, more than 300 company meetings take place, for example at BMW, Magna, MAN, Rosenbauer or Bosch. "So if on Thursday we can no longer reach an agreement, the measures taken to prevent strikes are not excluded:" We finished with our patience. If we do not get a result on the 8th, the first combat measures will start on the 9th, announces Metaller's boss. Rainer Wimmer in the morning newspaper. "There is no need to worry about the Metallers pulling the tail." Company meetings are always only interrupted.

Uncontested inflation height, remains open

Hot spots are complex. Thus, the production union has criticized the industry representatives for offering that an increase of 2.02% wages and salaries. This is by Fachbandungsobmann Christian Knill during this time mbadively denied. With this figure, only the level of inflation has been set aside, so it is very well prepared for a degree, employees guarantee a "real real salary".

The biggest break line is visible in all sectors, but in terms of working hours – this applies in the trade and with the Metallern. Employers' representatives are called "buyers" of the new rules on working time, which allow maximum working hours of 12 hours per day or 60 hours per week. As a result, employees want compensation at the level of collective agreements. "If you order something, you have to pay," said Karl Dürtscher (GPA-djp) at a major works council conference as a solution. Now that the government – after the announcement of cases of "black sheep", who apparently want to take advantage of unfair law – think of recalculations, has a new fuel. Trade union representatives are fully confirmed in their criticisms.

Employers' representatives, however, criticize: "Unions take our industry – and now also other industries – hostage to a political campaign against the federal government." In general, the union "is interested this year only in the big theater and not in factual solutions," said Knill,
After the first round, the union had already complained to the union committee: "We could expect to be well separated, but the current table of negotiations shows that we are separating the worlds."

This week will therefore show on several "fronts", if the situation can be resolved or ends in a spiral of escalation.