Retroactive from May 1

Collective agreement minimum wages in the chemical industry increase

(Bild: Trendsetter Images)

In the seventh round of negotiations on Monday afternoon, employer and employee representatives from the chemical industry agreed on a new collective agreement with a term of twelve months. 

For the approximately 50,000 employees in the industry, the minimum wages under the collective agreement will rise by 6.33 percent retroactively as of May 1, but by a maximum of 316.50 euros.

The actual and minimum wages will be increased by the same amount. Apprentice wages will also increase by 6.33 percent. The new collective agreement has a term of twelve months.

The PRO-GE and GPA trade unions had insisted on a wage and salary increase for around 50,000 chemical industry employees in line with rolling inflation of 6.33 percent and a capped payment for high earners - this has now been agreed.

Agreement after warning strikes
In view of faltering negotiations, warning strikes lasting one to two hours took place last week in around 50 companies in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, including Boehringer Ingelheim, Borealis, Lenzing, Novartis, Sandoz, Semperit and Takeda.