From November 1, 2025, actual wages and salaries will increase by 1.41 percent, and minimum wages will be raised by 2 percent. From November 1, 2026, actual wages and salaries will increase by 1.9 percent and collectively agreed minimum wages by 2.1 percent. There will also be one-time payments.
PRO-GE Federal Chairman Reinhold Binder spoke of a "crisis conclusion for the time being," "which does not fully cover the rolling inflation." In view of the high inflation and energy costs, it was important to "move into the future with reason and security" together. The rolling inflation from September 2024 to August 2025 - the negotiation basis for the metalworkers' collective agreement negotiations - was 2.8 percent.
Agreement for Two Years with One-Time Payments
For the Chairman of the Metal Technology Industry, Christian Knill, this is an agreement that, for the first time in years, moves towards improving the competitiveness of companies. "We remain significantly below European inflation with the sustainable part," emphasized Knill. This gives hope that the Austrian metal industry will not further deteriorate in European competition. "The moderate wage adjustment of 1.4 percent and one-time payments for 2025, as well as 1.9 percent from 11/1/2026, now create urgently needed planning security and relief for companies and employees," emphasized WKÖ President Harald Mahrer regarding the collective agreement in the metal technology industry.
The two-year agreement also provides that employees will receive either two additional days of leisure time twice or two payments of 500 euros each as a one-time bonus to secure purchasing power between November 2025 and June 2026. The specific design and implementation should be decided at the company level in a socially responsible manner. Apprentices' incomes will also increase by 2 percent from November 1, 2025, with a one-time payment of 250 euros. From November 1, 2026, apprentices' incomes will increase by 2.1 percent.
Praise from IV for Quick Compromise
The Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) - which is not at the table during the collective agreement negotiations - praised the quick compromise. "The negotiators quickly reached a viable compromise in a difficult situation that takes into account the challenges of the companies and creates planning certainty," said IV Secretary General Christoph Neumayer in a statement on Monday evening.
On Monday, collective agreement negotiations for railway employees also began. Unlike the metalworkers, there was initially no agreement.
(APA/Red)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.