Austria's tourism wage talks collapse as unions demand 3.8% pay hike
The first round of wage talks for Austria's tourism sector ended in deadlock on Thursday. Employers and unions failed to reach an agreement over pay and working conditions for up to 240,000 workers. Both sides will return to negotiations on April 7.
Workers in hotels and gastronomy are pushing for a 3.8% wage rise, 12 guaranteed Sundays off each year, and paid lunch breaks. Their demands come as the industry's underlying inflation rate sits at 3.6%. Employers, however, have labelled these requests unworkable, citing tough economic conditions. Their latest offer stands at a 2.3% pay adjustment.
The current minimum wage for unskilled staff is set at €2,026 gross per month nationwide. Entry-level salaries differ by region, with Vienna's workers earning €2,264 gross—a figure higher than in other federal states. No official data yet shows how many of Austria's 65,000 tourism businesses are directly impacted by the stalled talks.
With no resolution in sight, both parties have agreed to reconvene next month. The outcome will affect a workforce ranging between 200,000 and 240,000 employees annually under the collective agreement.
The next round of discussions is scheduled for April 7. Until then, the wage dispute leaves pay and conditions unchanged for thousands of tourism workers. The gap between the 2.3% employer offer and the 3.8% union demand remains the key obstacle.
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