1

Union of Salaried Private Sector Employees, Graphical Workers

and Journalists

2

Union of Salaried Private Sector Employees,

Graphical Workers and Journalists

GPA provides intersectoral trade union representation for salaried employees in Austria‘s private industry as well as workers in the graphical sector and journalists

GPA organises salaried employees and apprentices in industry, service sectors (e.g. trade and finance), the communications and IT sectors, associations and federations, the social security administration, the transport and tourism sectors, in the graphical industry and journalists.

GPA is the largest trade union in the ÖGB (Austrian Trade Union Federation), having some 270,000 members of whom

- approx. 44 % are women, and

- approx. 6% are young people

3

Austrian Trade Union Federation

. 35 % approx. 1.3 Mio. members / union density: 35 %

Union of Salaried Private Sector Employees,

Graphical Workers and Journalists Union of Public Services Union of Municipal Workers – Art, Media, Sport, Freelancers Union for Construction and Woodworkers Production Union PRO-GE Vida (Union for Transport, Services and Tourism) Union of Postal and Telegraphic Workers

269.767

232.974

154.406

116.157

232.226

148.351

51.997

31.12.2011 1.205.878

4

Political structure of the GPA-djp

President

Wolfgang Katzian

Steering

Committee

Executive

Board

Supervisory

Body

Representation

of interests

26 sectors of

industry

8 interest

groups

9 Regions

Steering Committee

Executive Board

Sup. Body Sectors

IG

5

Internal structure

Presidency/federal management

Representation of interests

Internal support/back office

Collective agreements

Sectoral policy

Research department

Legal department

IT

Regions

Youth Women Inter-

national Marketing Press/PR

Works coucils support Members support

Union and HR development Training Service

Centre

External services

6

Industries represented by the representative bodies

The GPA-djp represents salaried employees in the following industries and sectors:

Industry and industry-related sectors

Construction and housing

Communication and IT

Financial services (banks, savings banks and insurance companies)

Commerce

Social security

Health, social services and welfare

Research, education and culture

Gambling, tourism and leisure

Transport

Agriculture and forestry, food, drink and tobacco

Representative bodies, organisations, associations

New sectors

Paper / Paper Industry

Media / broadcasting

The GPA-djp is active in

26 sectors.

These sectors constitute a

platform for preparing,

implementing and

concluding collective

agreements.

7

Collective agreements in Austria

175 collective agreements negotiated by GPA-djp (figure for 2011)

Term: usually 12 months

Around 95% of employees in Austria are covered by a collective agreement

Collective agreements apply to all workers (regardless of whether or not they are affiliated to a union)

The collective agreement governs the increase in minimum and actual wages as well as key employment conditions that supplement labour laws

Date:1/2007

8

Interest groups

Platform for employees with flexible working conditions and freelancers

Platform for migrant workers

Platform for mobile employees operating away from their office base

Platform for social service professionals

Platform for education professionals

Platform for IT professionals

Platform for professional and managerial staff

A new element in GPA-

djp‘s structure, based

on professional identity

and situation.

It mainly applies in

sectors where in-

company unionisation is

becoming less and less

effective.

Plattform for employees operating in sale services

9

GPA-DJP International

ETUC

UNI Global Union

International Confederation of Service Unions

GPA-djp sectors: commerce, finance, graphic, social security sector, gambling/casinos, media, IT/telecom

ITUC

GPA-djp International

WOW

World Organisation of Workers

Social Christian trade union federation

Food, tourism, agriculture

industriAll

Integrated Industry Union Federation

European Federation of Public Service Unions

10

Special features of worker representation in Austria

Uniform, non-partisan trade union organisation

- 7 trade unions affiliated to the ÖGB

- 5 political platforms

Widespread use of collective agreements

- over 95% of workers are covered by a collective agreement

Economic and social partnership

- Employers: Economic Chamber (WKÖ), Chamber of Agriculture

- Workers: ÖGB, Chambers of Labour (AK)

Several players involved in worker representation:

- ÖGB, trade unions

- Chambers of Labour

- Works coucils and/or staff representatives

11

Factions and groups within the ÖGB and the GPA-djp

The ÖGB and its affiliated unions are non-partisan:

There are various political platforms within the respective unions and the ÖGB:

Social Democratic Trade Unionists (FSG)

Christian Trade Unionists (FCG)

Alternative Independent Trade Unionists (AUGE)

Trade Union 'Left Block' (Communist Trade Unionists) (GLB)

Nonpartisan Trade Unionists (PFG)

Freedom Party Partnership (FA)

12

Statutory interest

representation

Chambers of Labour

Includes beside others:

− Statutory representation vis-à-vis the State

− Research for the unions − Consumer protection

Voluntary interest representation

+ unions

Includes beside others: − Collective bargaining policy

− Company work and unionisation

− Positioning on the political scene

Works council

Staff representation

Worker representation in Austria

13

Representation at company level

− Mandate = unsalaried − Duration of post = 4 years − Special protection against dismissal − With special right to leave Activities:

Involvement in economic affairs Involvement in social affairs and staff matters Involvement in cultural matters Close partnership with the unions

Works council (private sector)

Staff representative body (public service)

Youth council

14

Chambers of Labour

founded in 1918 under pressure from the trade union movement

legally regulated membership for all professionally active people

members appointed in list-based elections (trade union factions)

= institutions governed by public law, the rights and duties of which are defined in law

Duties

Right to assess

draft laws

Involvement in commissions and

advisory committees (labour market policy, apprenticeships, etc.)

Appointment and training of lay judges in

industrial tribunals and social courts

Posting of representatives

to the social security

sector

Research for the unions

15

The economic and social partnership

LK

Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB)

Chambers of Labour (AK)

Austrian Economic Chamber (WKÖ)

Chamber of Agriculture (LK)

Set up during reconstruction post-1945

Aim: to mediate between and reconcile the interests of workers and employers

16

Get unionised.

It pays !