On December 18^th, the Union of Public Services (GÖD) and the National University Federation agreed on a nominal increase in actual salaries of 9.2% from February 1^st, 2024 in a second round of negotiations. Although the percentage is slightly higher than the public sector increase of 9.15%, it will come into effect one month later than in the public sector. It is therefore below the expectations articulated at university general staff assemblies.

In a nation-wide general staff assembly meeting at universities on December 13^th, Martin Tiefenthaler, Chairman of BV 13 (Federal Representation of Academic and Artistic University Staff in the GÖD), reported on the positions taken during the first round of negotiations on December 7^th. At this first negotiation meeting, the nominal wage increases, adjustments to the advancement levels in the B1 scheme and in the pay scale of administrative staff as well as the valorization date were discussed. Specifically, the B1 scheme, which includes all pre doc and post doc employees and therefore also all senior lecturers and senior scientists, called for additional  advancement levels. In the current scheme, the highest salary level is already reached after 16 years if you are classified as a post doc. Overall, the lifetime earnings are lower compared to upper secondary teachers (AHS Lehrer*innen)). BV13 has therefore been calling for the B1 scheme to be made more attractive for several years.

Another GÖD demand mentioned at the general staff assembly was a return to salary adjustments from January, 1^st. In recent years, the valorizations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement commenced on February, 1^st. However, the adjustment in the public sector, which uses the same observation window of rolling inflation as the basis for negotiations, will take place from January, 1^st - also for 2024. In a direct comparison, the valorizations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement salaries are therefore 1/12 lower than those of the public sector employees, even with the same percentage agreement for the respective year. In the event that an adjustment from January 1^st, 2024 would not be feasible due to the late start of negotiations, the GÖD demanded an additional bonus or a correspondingly higher percentage increase of 9.8%. Overall, it was clear with regard to the level of valorization that there must be no real wage losses.

Furthermore, on December 13^th, Martin Tiefenthaler gave an overview of the historical development of staff categories since the introduction of the Collective Bargaining Agreement as well as the development of the Universities Act and the problems that have arisen as a result (such as the high proportion of fixed-term and part-time academic staff members).
 

Following Martin Tiefenthaler's presentation, the following resolutions were passed at the general staff assembly at WU Vienna on December 13^th, which were also sent to the members of the GÖD negotiating team on the same day:

1. We demand a percentage increase of all actual salaries above the relevant inflation (9.15% for the relevant reference period October 2022 to September 2023). There must be no caps on this.

2. The effective date of the increase must be January, 1^st (as for civil servants).
    

3. the B1 scheme must be adjusted with regard to the advancement levels.

 

The second round of negotiations on December, 18^th was accompanied by a demonstration organised by the University of Vienna's Unterbau network. The demonstrators not only sought to support the GÖD negotiators in taking a clear stance, but also to highlight the widespread precarious working conditions at universities.

The negotiation result of 9.2% from February, 1^st can be assessed as follows on the basis of the demands described. The goal of an increase as of January, 1^st could not be achieved. The compensatory demands of a correspondingly higher percentage agreement or a one-off bonus were also not achieved. A valorisation for the overall year of 2024 above inflation or at the level of civil servants was again missed. The 0.05% higher settlement from February, 1^st is not enough to compensate for the loss incurred in January. To achieve this, an increase of 9.98% would have been required, which is even more than the 9.8% demanded by the GÖD. However, it is positive that the valorisation applies to all actual salaries without a cap. The other important demand of additional advancement levels in the B1 scheme was again not addressed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations this year. According to a GÖD press release, a working group consisting of the two Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiating partners will be set up to further discuss this issue. As negotiations in such a working group have already failed in the past, this information cannot be taken as an unreservedly positive sign.

Overall, there is still a clear need for action to position Austrian universities, including WU, as attractive employers in an increasingly competitive labor market.

^19.12.2023

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