Public sector unions secure €1,000 minimum salary

The UGT confederation has launched a campaign for a minimum wage of €1000 a month. This target was discussed earlier this year with the CCOO confederation and the PSOE socialist party. The UGT has set the target for negotiations in collective agreements and also to achieve for the national minimum wage by 2020. The confederation argues that the figure is entirely justified with 3.5% economic growth and businesses now seeing profits and dividends at pre-crisis levels. At the same time average salaries are more than 5% below their 2009 level in real terms.

The ÖGB trade union confederation has signed an agreement with the WKÖ employers' organisation establishing a €1,000 as the minimum monthly pay for full-time workers. There is no statutory minimum wage in Austria and the trade unions have not been calling for one because of the very high coverage of collective agreements. This new agreement will be implemented through collective bargaining mainly at sector level. Workers currently earning less than €1,000 but more than €900 should see their pay increase to €1,000 by 1 January 2008. Those currently earning between €800 and €900 will get €1,000

The FNV trade union reports that all care staff will get a bonus of EUR 1000 net in recognition of their work in coping with the COVID-19 virus. The payment will go to a very broad range of those involved in care across nursing homes, hospitals, ambulance services, disability and rehabilitation services, community and youth care and mental health. Nurses, care workers, cleaners and support staff will all get the payment. The union says that it hopes this will set the scene for negotiations in the autumn to deliver better terms and conditions for care workers and help address staff shortages