Start autumn wage rounds: GPA demands on the social economy

Start autumn wage rounds: GPA demands on the social economy

With the beginning of October, numerous changes occur in different areas that are important for both employees and citizens. In particular, the autumn wage rounds in the social and health area make headlines because the union of private employees (GPA) hands over their pollination to the umbrella organization of the Social Economy (SWÖ). The negotiations begin on October 22nd and bring a breath of fresh air to the often tense discussions of the past few years.

Yvonne Hochsteiner, the new chief negotiator of the SWÖ, took responsibility. She already has extensive experience because she has accompanied the negotiations for years. Many in the industry still remember the confrontational wage rounds of recent years, some of which even led to warning strikes.

new regulations and financial aids

Another important topic this month is the change in the handling, which is now introducing digital account news for all pension funds. Employees who use the handling again receive their annual information about their credit digitally by default. This will not only simplify the administration, but also significantly reduce paper consumption - about 16.2 million sheets of paper per year can be saved.

In Styria, applications for the heating cost grant can be made from October 2. This grant was doubled to 340 euros last year and can be requested in communities or city offices. The income limits that play a role here vary depending on the household size and are, for example, for single people at 1392 euros net.

Similar regulations are also available in Carinthia, where a large and small heating grant can be requested and where the amount also depends on the financial circumstances. The large heating subsidy is 180 euros, while the small grant is 110 euros. This support is a necessary tool for many households that are faced with increasing energy costs.

price reductions and new services

Graz also experiences a reduction in district heating costs. Energie Graz and Energie Styria will reduce prices for district heating customers by around 20 percent, which brings annual savings of around 300 euros for an average apartment. From now on, a new labor price of 12.7 cents per kilowatt hour is valid.

For drivers, there is news about parking: With October 1st, there are a changeover to the "Easypark" app in several federal states, including Carinthia and Styria, which makes the mobile phone market superfluous and enables cross-border parking. This app is already present in over 4000 cities and more than 20 countries worldwide.

Another important date is October 1, when the interest period for additional payments and credits from income and corporation tax begins. Here, the current ambulance is 5.03 percent, which will be important for many taxpayers.

Road traffic safety is also tightened, because from now on only winter or all-season tires with the alpine symbol in Germany are allowed in winter conditions. To ensure that the tires meet the legal requirements, drivers should make sure that they have the corresponding pictogram, since violations are punished with fines.

In addition to these changes, there is also a digital innovation in the healthcare system. From this month, the electronic vaccination pass completely will replace the traditional paper vaccination pass. This application will enable citizens to conveniently understand their vaccinations online and to have old vaccinations transferred from the paper document into the digital register.

All of these developments underline the dynamic change that takes place in the region in October and make it clear that both personal finances and health issues are the focus.