Bus Driver Collective Agreement: Warning Strikes on Thursday
Hundreds of drivers across Austria reportedly participated at over 100 locations. At some locations, "intense pressure" was exerted on the employees by the employers, criticized the transport union vida.
Dispute Over Bus Drivers' Collective Agreement: Warning Strikes
"At one location, there were even threats of dismissal until the drivers resumed their work," said vida representative Markus Petritsch in a statement on Thursday. "In some places, the police were called to intimidate the employees even before the strike had begun. At another strike location, a vida vehicle was deliberately damaged by unknown individuals. The case has been reported."
However, Petritsch drew a fundamentally positive conclusion and made it clear for the next round of negotiations on March 5: "If the employers do not present a substantially improved offer, the union sees itself forced to tighten the strike measures."
The warning strike affected, among others, ÖBB Postbus, Blaguss, Dr. Richard, sabtours, and Gschwindl. The drivers received support from climate activists from Fridays For Future and System Change not Climate Change. Vida accuses the employers of making the drivers finance the "marginal improvement proposals" themselves through deteriorations elsewhere and speaks of a "sham package." "Offering only 50 cents for an extra hour of night work is a mockery of the employees," stated unionist Petritsch.
Employers Emphasize Concessions
The employers, on the other hand, emphasize that the bus operators have already made concessions to the drivers and are offering a collective agreement increase at the level of the rolling inflation of 3.5 percent.
The early timing of the warning strike on Thursday was chosen by the transport union vida to avoid affecting school transport. Nevertheless, according to the union, hundreds of routes - about 170 in Styria alone - were affected by cancellations and delays due to the warning strike.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.