“Voting on the union is a farce.”

The deadline for online voting on the enhanced salary offer AUA is making to its employees ends Monday at 11:59 p.m. However, out of approximately 3,500 employees, only VIDA union members have the right to vote. This is about 60 percent of those affected. This represents the union sufficiently. For Günter Aufner, head of the aviation department at the Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Vienna Airport board, the vote is “an opaque and unrepresentative farce.”

He talks about the union creating a two-class society. “Ultimately, only all AUA employees who are also members of Vida are allowed to participate in the vote,” Offner said on the WKO broadcast. According to Offner, less than a quarter of AUA's workforce are Vida members.

In addition, many members were unable to participate in such a short period of time because they were off duty, sick, on vacation, or on maternity leave. “The fact that the AUA Works Board on board is engaging in such a deceptive maneuver cannot be overlooked in terms of irresponsibility. Ultimately, it must represent the interests of all employees on board.”

Manipulative text

Offner criticizes that the text sent by the union for the voting process was blatantly manipulative and lacked any objectivity. Among other things, with inflation continuing at 6.8% and firm supply at 8%, it is said that there will only be a 0.2% increase in real wages this year.

“Ultimately, voting has consequences not just for VIDA members, but for everyone,” Offner continued. When the VIDA union goes on strike, it takes hostage both GPA union members and many non-AUA members as well as other companies, for example at the airport and many service providers.

The federation plans to publish the results later this week. If there is a majority rejection of the AUA proposal, there is a risk of industrial action continuing.