Employers should refrain from fake news and threats!
The vida trade union is ready to negotiate at any time. A better offer from the employers is still a long time coming.
Works meetings of bus drivers
Since yesterday, January 30, Austria-wide works meetings of bus drivers in private bus companies have been underway, which will last until February 5. The employees will be informed about the faltering collective agreement negotiations. The collective bargaining negotiations for the approximately 12,000 employees in this industry were interrupted in the middle of this week in the third round without result due to an insufficient offer from the employers, explains Markus Petritsch, chairman of the road department in the trade union vida. "We are ready to negotiate at any time, but an improved offer from the employers is still a long time coming. Instead, employers deliberately stir up fear with untruths in the public in the form of false figures and invoices," criticizes Petritsch.
"We are not available for deceptive packaging and barter transactions on the backs of the employees."
For example, the inflation on which the collective bargaining negotiations are based is not the annual inflation of 2.9 percent in 2024, as falsely stated by the employers, but the rolling inflation in the period from October 2023 to November 2024 of 3.5 percent, Petritsch corrects. "And the fact that the union demands from wage increases and improvements in working conditions should amount to over 10 percent is a deliberately completely exaggerated estimate," the vida trade unionist calls on the Chamber of Commerce "not to spread any more fake news".
Union demands 3.7 percent wage increase and better working conditions
"The fact is that vida is demanding a 3.7 percent wage increase plus a noticeable improvement in working conditions in order to make the industry, which is suffering from staff shortages, more attractive again for both existing staff and urgently needed newcomers. Otherwise, the political goal of expanding public transport will hardly be feasible. The fact that the conditions need to be improved has also been confirmed by a study by the University of Vienna," Petritsch clarifies. However, with the improvements offered, there is currently only a minimal concession against the required deterioration for employees in other areas.
Occasional disruptions of works meetings by employers
According to Petritsch, there were also disturbances by the employers in some companies: "Attempts were made to put pressure on the employees not to participate in the meetings," criticizes Petritsch and encourages the employees not to be intimidated: "Threats from employers are to be avoided. Participation in the works meetings is covered by labour law."
Restrictions on scheduled bus services
"Restrictions on scheduled bus services cannot be ruled out, depending on the number of participants in the assemblies," Petritsch asks for the understanding of any passengers who may be affected. In St. Pölten, for example, six Lup-Buss lines (operator Dr. Richard) were cancelled in early morning traffic. "In any case, we informed the employers about the works meetings in good time. We therefore assume that the companies have also informed passengers accordingly that there could be restrictions," Petritsch concludes.
