Plus of eight percent

Union votes on AUA offer on Monday

On Monday, vida union members will vote on the new AUA offer (archive photo).(Bild: APA/ROBERT JAEGER)

The vida trade union will hold a vote on Monday on the new offer from Austrian Airlines (AUA). The airline recently offered a salary increase of eight percent for 2024. Co-pilots and pilots are to receive up to ten percent more in the first salary level.

According to the vida union, there are signs of a deterioration in profit-sharing. As the new offer is only slightly better than the previous one, a vote will now be held online, it said. Around 60 percent of the workforce - including 1,100 pilots and 2,400 flight attendants - are union members.

AUA held a works meeting on April 4.(Bild: APA/Robert Jäger)

"Pure farce"
If only 50 percent or less of one of the two groups vote against, the AUA offer as a whole will be rejected, the union announced. Günther Ofner, Vienna Airport board member and head of the Chamber of Commerce Aviation spoke of a "pure farce" and "complete lack of transparency." After all, only union members were allowed to vote, he criticized.

The AUA management campaigned for the offer and threatened to downsize if the staff insisted on their demands. The offer already includes the years 2025 and 2026, for which an increase of five percent each is planned.

Strike before Easter
In the fight for higher salaries, the on-board staff went on strike for 26 hours before Easter. In spring, several staff meetings led to flight disruptions.

The consultation ends on Monday at 11.59 pm. The result will be announced one day later.