The AUA negotiations at Vienna Airport took place on Friday, but no agreements were reached as both sides were unwilling to make concessions that could harm their image. Discussions have been ongoing for three months since they began in mid-January, and there is currently no set date for another round of negotiations. The union has not announced any further strikes, but there is hope that a resolution will be reached soon to avoid further damage to the 70,000 employees and other service providers in the area.
Airport boss Günther Ofner believes that a solution must be found between AUA management and the union for the sake of all involved parties. The ongoing strike has caused increased frustration among passengers, tour operators, and travel agencies, putting pressure on ground staff to resolve the conflict. If an agreement is not reached and another strike occurs, the AUA conflict could have long-lasting negative effects on the domestic market.
The current negotiation status includes an offer from AUA for an eight percent retroactive increase for 2024, with five percent each for 2025 and 2026. One point of contention is whether the five percent offered by AUA includes future inflation expectations. To address this concern, a fixed inflation surcharge clause could be included in the agreement to ensure that employees are compensated adequately if inflation rates deviate from expectations. Resolving this issue will require goodwill from both parties involved in the negotiations.
