Chamber of Commerce increases wages by 4.2% – criticism from all corners!

Chamber of Commerce increases wages by 4.2% – criticism from all corners!

On November 4, 2025, the Chamber of Commerce (WKO) announced that it would increase wages for its staff by 4.2 percent from 2026. This decision was met with both approval and strong criticism from various political camps. The current inflation rate is 3.5 percent, which puts the wage increase above the current loss of purchasing power. But critics argue that in times of economic uncertainty, everyone must contribute.

The club chairwoman of the Tyrolean Neos, Brigit Obermüller, was critical of this step. She described the increase as excessive and called for more transparency regarding the WKO's salary structures. In her statement, she also questioned the necessity of compulsory membership in the Chamber of Commerce. Obermüller also referred to the salary agreements in the private sector, which are significantly lower: the agreement for metal workers is 1.41 percent and for civil servants it is 1.5 percent after renegotiations.

Criticism and justification

The WKO itself justifies the wage increase through an automatic mechanism called “factor increase”, which is based on the private sector wage agreements of previous years. In response to the excitement, the WKO explained that the increase would be delayed and would be based on the collective agreement negotiations of the previous year. Last year, collective bargaining agreements were between 5.4 percent and 9.2 percent, which puts this increase into perspective.

The Vienna Industrial Association (IV) described the decision as an “insensitive and fatal signal” and the FPÖ also spoke out with sharp criticism. Dagmar Belakowitsch, the FPÖ's social spokeswoman, described the increase as a “slap in the face for every local entrepreneur and employee”. The Greens and NEOS expressed similar concerns, with the latter, Douglas Hoyos, criticizing the WKO for its loss of moderation and groundedness. Elisabeth Götze from the Greens called the WKO a “self-service shop”.

Voices of supporters

Nevertheless, there were also voices that praised the WKO's measure. Roman Hebenstreit, the head of the vida union, described the increase as an important sign against the loss of purchasing power and welcomed the WKO's rethinking. He pointed out that the annual salary increases for WKO employees are lower in a long-term comparison than in the private and public sectors.

Overall, the 4.2 percent wage increase is a hotly debated topic that affects both the public and private sectors. In this context, the upcoming collective bargaining negotiations for around 500,000 commercial employees are eagerly awaited. It remains to be seen how these developments will affect salary trends in the Austrian economy.

For more information read the reports Dolomite town and ORF.