Paper industry is about strike! Rally in Vienna on May 19th

Paper industry is about strike! Rally in Vienna on May 19th

In the paper industry, a strike threatens because the collective agreement negotiations are stuck. On March 19, 2025, in front of the association of the paper industry in Vienna, the unions GPA and Pro-Ge call up for a rally. This is followed by the third round of negotiations for around 8,000 employees, in which no agreement could be reached. The Austrian Trade Union Confederation (ÖGB) has already granted the strike approval after the employer adhered to real wage losses despite the positive industry trend. Both Werner Leitner from Pro-Ge and Walter Kogler from GPA were particularly critical of the situation.

Werner Leitner complained that companies generate profits, but there is no adaptation of wages to the inflation. Walter Kogler warned of further combat measures if the employers have no serious progress. The signs of possible disputes in the industry have increased after the current negotiations have been interrupted without agreement.

Details about the rally and strike tendency

The rally will take place on Monday, March 19, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. on Johanna-Dohnal-Platz in Vienna. Media representatives are invited to report. In the period of standstill, applications for strike releases are not unusual, since there are similar situations in other industries such as the electrical and electronics industry.

The context of the collective bargaining disputes

The collective agreement negotiations are a central aspect of labor law in Austria, as is explained on the website of the ÖGB. On the occasion of the ongoing negotiations in various industries, it becomes clear that inflation and increasing living expenses represent special challenges for the employees. In the paper industry, as well as in the electrical and electronics industry, the employer has only minimally adapted its initial offers due to the economic environment, which leads to a strong displeasure among employees.

For many employees of the paper industry, the upcoming rally is an opportunity to draw attention to the need for fair wage and salary qualifications. The arguments illustrate the pressure under which the unions are when they represent the interests of tens of thousands of employees.

summarized it is shown that the negotiations in the paper industry are still tense and there is an urgent need for action to avoid escalation. The coming days will be crucial for the development of the situation.

You can find out more about the background of the current negotiations at Kleine Zeitung and ÖGB .