On Thursday and Friday, Austrian Airlines faces the threat of a strike by its on-board staff, involving at least 3,500 employees. Negotiations for a collective agreement on Sunday ended without any results, and on Monday, there were no further negotiations planned. However, both sides have signaled a willingness to continue talking. The union has expressed readiness to negotiate at any time, while the airline is also open to discussions.
Despite the willingness to negotiate, there seems to be a stalemate in the negotiations. The main contention lies in the numbers, particularly in the AUA’s offer which includes an 18 percent table increase for everyone and 28 percent for co-pilots, but the union rejects this offer due to the way it is calculated. The AUA maintains that they are ready to talk about their offer once there is a substantial movement from the union.
If flight cancellations do occur due to the strike threat, Austrian Airlines has already offered affected customers a one-time, free rebooking or cancellation of their flights. Passengers have the right to alternative transport in case of cancellations, which could range from flights with other airlines to train or bus journeys, depending on the distance. Passengers would also have the right to compensation if no viable alternative is available.
The possibility of flight cancellations looms as tensions rise between Austrian Airlines and its on-board staff over working conditions and pay. While both sides are willing to negotiate, there appears to be a significant gap between their positions that needs to be bridged before an agreement can be reached.
