Austria - Agreement in retail sector - November 30, 2025

The retail sector finally saw a breakthrough on 24 November after three lengthy negotiation rounds, resulting in a new collective agreement that provides a 2.55% permanent wage increase effective 1 January 2026. The unions welcomed the fact that the agreement focuses on structural improvements rather than one‑off bonuses, which they argue do not contribute to sustainable income growth. Employers insisted that economic uncertainty and slowing consumer demand limited their room for manoeuvre, but the final compromise was broadly accepted by both bargaining parties. The agreement also avoided a looming strike wave during the busy holiday season.

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For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu.
You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.