Unions organise one-hour national warning strike

The two main trade union confederations and several independent trade unions said that over half a million workers from the public and private sectors joined the one-hour strike called on 23 January. The strike was in protest at plans for wide-ranging changes to labour laws that would reduce employee protection and undermine collective bargaining. The unions said that further action would follow if the reforms weren't withdrawn. Following the strike the government has called early election and the minister for the economy, the main proponent of the reforms has resigned. [Read more at > B92

The ver.di service union has organised warning strikes to demonstrate to the local and federal government employers that workers in the sector want a reasonable pay offer. So far the employers have rejected ver.di’s demands in terms of both pay and other conditions. They are also refusing to reintroduce promotion opportunities that were suspended in 2005 at the time of the introduction of a new pay agreement. The 2005 agreement included a new pay structure but full implementation of this has not been negotiated and so the union is calling for at least the possibility of career progression. Ver

Services union ver.di is organising warning strikes across the country in the lead-up to the third round of negotiations covering federal and local government which are due to begin on 15 April. With no concrete pay offer from the employers at the second round of negotiations, ver.di argues that the warning strikes are needed to put pressure on them to take a constructive approach at the bargaining table. The union wants a pay rise of 6% with a EUR 200 a month minimum increase to help the low paid. For ver.di it is crucial to increase pay to make jobs in the sector more attractive and keep pay