Running rounds in the electrical industry: unions are demanding clear increases!

Running rounds in the electrical industry: unions are demanding clear increases!

On Wednesday, April 8, 2025, the collective agreement negotiations in the electrical and electronics industry as well as in the chemical industry are continued. It is the second round of negotiations, in which no salary claims have so far been expressed. This reports Krone . The unions Pro-Ge and GPA have clearly emphasized that under no circumstances will negotiate a zero round, as this would lead to loss of income for the employees and the economy could not boost.

The union representatives call for quick negotiations and collective contracts to take into account the increasing living costs. Last year there was an agreement within the electrical and electronics industry after three days of negotiations, which led to an increase in KV wages and salaries by 7.5 percent. The actual income also rose by 6.8 percent, which means that the new collective contract minimum wage was set to 2,406 euros per month.

previous negotiation rounds and challenges

In the negotiations opened on March 21, 2025, the unions GPA and Pro-GE handed over their claim program. Karl Dürtscher, the chief negotiator of the GPA, referred to the stress due to the inflation crisis and the increasing energy prices and emphasized the need for permanent wage and salary increases, especially for lower income. According to gpa

Another negotiation date is already on April 9, 2025, and the unions are demanding noticeable increases in wages, salaries and apprenticeship income. For the very stressful working hours, the allowances should also be increased in order to offer employees appropriate compensation. The allowances for additional layers are particularly relevant, in which 1.50 euros per hour should be paid for the second layer and 5 euros per hour for the third layer.

comparison with other industries

Comparable developments can also be observed in other sectors. Negotiations in chemical industry required seven rounds last year, in which wages and salaries were increased by 6.33 percent. This shows that there is also a clear tendency towards significant wage increases in other industries to ensure the living standard of the employees. The public service, for example, recorded a strong plus of 9.4 percent and is one of the industries with the highest wage increases. Financial also documents the wage increases in various industries, such as in trade and in the commercial 9.2 percent increase.

With the upcoming negotiation dates, the unions strive to achieve fair and sustainable solutions for the employees in the electrical and electronics industry as well as the chemical industry in order to maintain their living standards in view of increasing costs