KV Handelsarbeiter:innen: The third round of negotiations

The collective agreement negotiations for the approximately 150,000 retail workers will enter the third round on Wednesday, December 3. While a deal has already been reached for retail employees, everything is still open for workers in retail. The vida trade union remains at the negotiating table – and is getting strong tailwind from the companies.

Employers rejoice over Advent sales – employees are waiting for fair wages

According to APA, WKÖ representative Rainer Trefelik is pleased about a high-turnover first Saturday of Advent. At the same time, the Wirtschaftsbund warns of 23,436 unfilled positions in trade, logistics and transport - allegedly a risk for the Christmas business.

For vida negotiator Christine Heitzinger , one thing is clear: good sales are all well and good, but they must not remain one-sided.

"Retailers can be granted that business is going well. But it must be clear that employees should also share in the rich returns that companies are hoping for in Advent. A real wage increase for 2026 is not an exuberant wish, but a safeguard for people at the lower income limit."

With a view to the staff shortage complained of by employers, she adds accurately:

 

Thousands of signatures: Employees send an unmistakable signal

In the past two weeks, works meetings have taken place throughout Austria. Employees of Spar, Rewe and Lidl were able to support the collective bargaining demands there by signing – and did so impressively.

"The feedback from colleagues is enormous," reports Heitzinger.
"Around 3,000 employees have signed the petition – that makes up about half of the workforce of the three retail giants in warehousing and transport. For my negotiating team and me, this is a clear mandate and shows that we are on the right track with our demands."

The message from the logistics centres is clear: the employees do not want to continue to watch their real wages fall while the tills ring in Advent.

These improvements are demanded by the trade union vida

To ensure that retail workers not only bear the burden of the booming Christmas business, but also participate fairly in it, vida demands:

• Wage increases above inflation
• One additional day of vacation per year
• A supplement for Sunday work
• An increase in the night work allowance

These points are not luxury demands, but basic conditions for being able to cope with hard physical work and irregular working hours in the long term.

Invisible performance – indispensable work

Order pickers, forklift drivers, truck drivers and many other professional groups in warehouses and transport keep Austria's supply running day after day. They work early in the morning, late in the evening, at night – and usually remain invisible to customers.

This is precisely why the vida trade union is committed to ensuring that these employees finally receive the appreciation and remuneration that corresponds to their central role.

The third round of negotiations will decide whether the employers will finally deviate from the austerity mode and accommodate those people who make trade possible in the first place. vida is sticking to it – with clear demands, strong backing and the goal of preventing real wage losses.