at Don't floats 36-hour strike on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday The important Easter travel season continues to be a sword of Damocles. Companies and employee representatives are yet to agree on a collective agreement, following which the decision to strike on Saturday forced them to take it.
Employers criticized the possible strike during the Easter holiday on Sunday as “totally irresponsible and a shot in the foot for AUA workers”.
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“The VIDA union's demands for a salary increase of up to 40 percent will pose a serious threat to the economic base of the AUA, which has recovered from an existential crisis, and the 6,200 jobs of AUA employees,” said Günter Offner, head of the aviation department. Austrian Chamber of Commerce (WKÖ), in a press release. He is one of the two board members of Vienna International Airport. It's also incomprehensible that “AUA staff and the union want to deliberately ruin the well-deserved Easter vacation of over 52,000 commuters, especially families with school-aged children.”
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According to the report, the possible strike threatens 430 flights. “The threat by the AUA union and Vida to strike for 36 hours over Easter is completely irresponsible, especially when families with children want to take their well-deserved Easter break,” Ofner said. “The strike will not bring a solution, but rather worsen the current situation for everyone involved. Especially the thousands of Austrians who were rightfully looking forward to their Easter holiday.”
Competitiveness at risk?
The demands are “a provocation on taxpayers” because AUA was recently saved from bankruptcy by millions in state aid, Ofner said. Additionally, salary demands affect AUA's competitiveness. Ofner believes AUA customers may switch to other airlines and hubs in the future.
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On the other hand, the union and the labor group are demanding, in their view, a fairer approach to the salaries of AUA parent Lufthansa. The company's offer of an average 18 percent raise — which Ofner shows is naturally very lucrative — is really only inflationary compensation for flight crews. Additionally, the company is “playing with the numbers” and the offer is “not worth it”. Only a new concession – not in sight – could prevent hostilities.
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The strike decision was passed unanimously, with a new demand for the AUA to “immediately be given a better offer,” Daniel Leibhardt, the responsible VIDA union, told APA on Saturday. “Logically we would have to come to an agreement,” Lippard said when asked if there was a new deadline now. According to the Union, it will take until March 27 23:59 and 59 seconds. You are ready to talk. The strike is scheduled to begin on March 28 at midnight.
Reconciliation is required
“It is time to end the riots against the AUA and its commuters and bring about reconciliation.” Reputation already tarnished.
At least on a Sunday morning there was no movement or even a rapport. It is the result of APA inquiries into both parties to the dispute.
