This year’s KV negotiations for metalheads are faltering. While employees are demanding 10.6% more wages, employers are opposed.
Collective negotiations in the metalworking sector have been underway since 3 October. From day one it was clear that the negotiations will be particularly difficult this year. Why: In mid-September, the union relinquished the request for a 10.6% wage increase. Even then, the employer spoke of “unreasonable” and “excessive” funding.
Read more: KV Negotiations: Metalworkers want 10.6 percent more
The unions are increasing the pressure
The second round of negotiations will take place on Monday and already the unions are increasing the pressure. By tomorrow, seven conferences of the regional works councils will be held, which will also be attended by representatives of the other associations of the metallurgical industry, which together represent approximately 200,000 employees. At the Oberwaltersdorf conference on Wednesday, it was unanimously agreed that business meetings would be held if an agreement was not reached with employers in the next round of negotiations.
Read more: More wages for metalworkers: unions put pressure on them
Employers: government action is enough
Now the other party, the Fachverband Metalltechnische Industrie (FMTI), has sent a message to be heard. Calculations by the Ministry of Finance and the Chamber of Commerce showed that “much of the inflation in 2022 has already been offset,” wrote President Christian Knill. The WKO estimated that the government’s measures would “fully cover or even overcompensate” the costs of inflation for very low incomes. With low incomes, 75 percent of the additional costs would still be covered and with average wages above 50 percent.
“Unrealistic” 10 percent wage increase
Other great packages, such as the abolition of cold progression, are not yet included and effective. This is said to be “clearly” evident in household incomes over the next year. According to Knill, the increase in family allowance should also be considered. Government measures would help to secure purchasing power for the most part. Therefore, the union’s demands for a wage increase of around ten percent are “unrealistic and without any reasonable basis”.
A fair conclusion for KV employees will also be negotiated this year, “but our companies cannot and will not take on the high inflation themselves, especially since they themselves are severely affected,” concluded the FMTI president.
