Collective agreement for retail workers: Still no agreement in sight
No progress in collective bargaining negotiations – trade union vida still willing to talk
KV negotiation
The collective agreement negotiations for workers in the retail sector are still not making any progress. The last round of negotiations took place on December 3 – it was already the third date without result. A lot of time has passed since then, little has moved.
Rallies at several locations
However, it is not the employees who have remained inactive. With rallies and convoys near large shopping centres, retail workers drew attention to their situation on several occasions – for example at Shopping City Süd on the outskirts of Vienna, in the city centre of St. Pölten and at other locations in Vienna, Upper Austria, Salzburg and Tyrol.
In addition, around 3,000 workers have signed a petition in support of the union's demand for wage increases above inflation. This corresponds to about half of the workforce of the food companies Spar, Rewe and Lidl.
No sales without retail workers
December is traditionally the time of large sales in retail. Overall, the industry was able to post an annual turnover of almost 80 billion euros last year. For the retail workers, however, Advent was anything but quiet: They made sure that the shelves were filled for the Christmas business - and now take care of returns and exchange goods in the warehouses, whether from online retail or from the stores.
"Without the employees in the warehouses and in transport, no shelf would be filled and no turnover would be recorded."vida-Verhandlungsleiterin
"There is every reason for retail companies to pat themselves on the back. But successes are only worth something if they are shared. Now employers should show loyalty to their employees and let them participate in the positive balances."
vida ready for further negotiations
Employees in the retail sector already made their contribution to overcoming the crisis last year. Now it is time to recognize this commitment.
"The colleagues in the warehouse and in transport have earned a fair wage increase. I am convinced that we can find a solution at the negotiating table. Our hand is outstretched - we are ready to negotiate at any time," Heitzinger appeals to the Chamber of Commerce.
Next round of negotiations on 19 January
On 19 January, the Chamber of Commerce and the trade union vida want to negotiate again on the collective agreement for the approximately 150,000 trade workers . In order not to carry out delays in the January payroll on the backs of the employees, vida is willing to talk about a pragmatic interim solution. At the same time, it states unequivocally that the actual collective agreement negotiations must be continued – with the aim of a rapid conclusion that brings real wage improvements.
