Bus drivers in Tyrol and Salzburg are planning a warning strike on Thursday morning as part of their push for better working conditions and higher wages in ongoing collective agreement negotiations for private bus companies.
The strike is expected to cause disruptions during the early morning hours.
The vida trade union, which represents workers in Austria’s transport sector, is organising the strike. According to the union, the majority of employees have expressed support for strike action in online surveys and at recent workplace meetings.
Negotiations have been ongoing, but after a fourth round of talks on Monday failed to reach an agreement, drivers decided to escalate their demands.
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The strike will affect IVB, Postbus, and Ledermair in Tyrol, though Ötztal Transport has opted out of the action, according to ORF Tirol. Across Austria, the negotiations impact around 12,000 drivers, with just over 1,000 in Tyrol.
In Salzburg, more than 600 bus drivers are expected to participate in the warning strike, which will last two hours between 4:00 am and 6:00 am.
The affected companies include ÖBB-Postbus, Albus Salzburg, and Krautgartner, which mainly operates route 175 in Salzburg, as reported by ORF Salzburg. However, trolleybuses and the Salzburger Lokalbahn will not be affected as they operate under a different collective agreement.
Union criticises employer proposals
The union is pushing for a reduction in shared shifts, extended breaks without income loss, and an increase in the night shift bonus. However, employers have so far resisted these demands.
Herbert Frank, chairman of vida Tyrol, criticised the latest offer from employers, calling it a "deceptive package" that fails to address the core issues of working conditions and fair wages.
According to vida regional secretary Florian Guggenbichler, while an agreement was reached on inflation compensation of 3.5 percent, other proposals from employers only provided marginal relief rather than meaningful improvements.
Negotiations for the new collective agreement are still ongoing. If no progress is made, further strike action could follow in the coming weeks.
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