Negotiation round number 20 regarding a new collective agreement for the flying staff of Austrian Airlines was canceled without result. Now the Vida union wants to let its members vote on the latest offer and how to proceed.

Online voting is scheduled to start at the beginning of next week. The employee representatives want to know their members' opinions on the latest offer from the Austrian Airlines management. At the same time, possible further industrial action measures should be voted on. It cannot therefore be ruled out that there could be further strikes at this Lufthansa subsidiary in the near future.

In a media statement, the Vida union admits that the offer has been improved. However, it still does not correspond to the ideas of the employee representatives and is said to be far removed from the demands of the trade unionists and works councils.

“We continue to work to at least reduce the gap between AUA employees and those of other airlines in the Lufthansa Group. Unfortunately, even after the twentieth round of negotiations, the AUA management is still not addressing this concern. Rather, the workforce’s demands should now only be seemingly met through longer contract periods,” says Daniel Liebhart, chairman of the aviation department in the Vida union. “The bottom line is that the AUA management has now presented an offer that has been improved, but has been extended in time. The difference to the previous offer is only minimal. This offer also continues the underpayment and unequal treatment of Austrian employees in the German Lufthansa group to the same extent.”

Now it's the members' turn. From the beginning of next week, they can take part in an online vote organized by the union. Liebhart says: “That is why we have decided to involve our members directly in the decision-making process on how to proceed and to let them vote on the current status of negotiations and further combat measures.”