Strike at the bicycle messengers

The 2,000 bicycle messengers and food delivery workers to whom the collective agreement applies were subject to two-hour warning strikes in Vienna and in the state capitals of Graz, Innsbruck and Klagenfurt on 7 March 2024. Shortly afterwards there was a bicycle demo with the support of vida chairman Roman Hebenstreit. And in June, during the men's European Football Championship, a whole series of other strikes followed. The reason for this is the faltering collective agreement negotiations. After four rounds of negotiations, the employers' offer was still only 5.8 percent. This does not even cover the rolling inflation of 8.7 percent demanded by the trade union vida.

Unanimously in favor of industrial action

At the works meetings of the previous weeks, the employees voted by an overwhelming majority in favour of industrial action. The works councils voted unanimously for a warning strike in a conference on Monday of this week. The ÖGB has already given the strike authorization. "The employers' lack of willingness to compromise has left us and the employees no other choice," notes Toni Pravdic, head of collective bargaining at the vida trade union.

Income at the poverty line

"When we talk about wage increases here, we are talking about employees in a low-wage industry in which employers do not want to grant employees inflation compensation at 1,730 euros gross per month for 40 hours per week. Of course, this puts pressure on the motivation of employees, whose net wages are currently close to the current poverty line," the trade unionist continued.

Mood of the workforce boiling over

"Performance in all weathers and high physical exertion should be worthwhile and must not lead to poverty and desperate situations. After two years of extreme inflation, how are you supposed to be able to pay your current bills for energy, housing and food if you are not compensated for the inflation?" "If the employers still want to examine their conscience and return to the negotiating table, we are ready to negotiate at any time. If not, a continuation or extension of the industrial action cannot be ruled out. The mood in the workforce has long been boiling over," Pravdic emphasizes.