After more than 20 rounds of negotiations, the AUA has a new collective agreement. For the first time a peace commitment is said to have been agreed – so no strike until the end of 2026?
Austrian Airlines has a collective agreement after 20 rounds of negotiations. It will be valid until the end of 2026, and the salary will increase three times – from April 2024, January 2025 and January 2026. On average, this would increase the total by 19.4 percent. Additionally, up to two percentage points could be added in 2026 depending on the company's results in 2025. Co-pilot salaries increase by an additional eleven percent on average.
For the first time, a peace commitment was also agreed, it said – meaning no strikes until the end of 2026. “Our passengers can trust us again,” said the AUA board of directors. Only: This does not require clause in K.V. However, strikes demanding further wage increases within the validity period shall not be permitted. Lawyer Roland Gerlach tells “Press” that establishing this specifically may even be counterproductive if the idea arises that there is no peace obligation without this clause.
There is still no guarantee that there will be no strike at AUA by the end of 2026 under any circumstances. If something completely unexpected happens—if inflation goes to absolutely astronomical levels or mass layoffs—that could be the end of the peacekeeping mission. A clause in KV is no longer of any use.
