1. Social Partnership and Collective Agreements in Austria
“Die Sprache ist die Quelle aller Mißverständnisse”
(Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

2. What is the Social Partnership?
A System of economic and social
co-operation

3. The Social Partners Federal Chamber of Commerce (WKO)
Austrian Chambers of Agriculture (LKW)
Austrian Federation of Trade Unions (ÖGB)
Austrian Chamber of Labour (BAK)

4. Common Aims of the Social Partners
solving conflicts through negotiations
increasing the general welfare
stabilising the political set-up
maintaining international competitiveness
wage policy through collective bargaining
administrative duties above enterprise level
information, advice and assistance for employers and employees

5. What is a Collective Agreement?
Übersicht
It is a written agreement between bodies of the Social Partners, who are representing employers and employees

6. Übersicht Important contents of the Collective Agreement (CA)
scope of CA (branch, region, ea.)
rights and obligations
employment, probation, work-dress, employee protection
working time
normal working hours, over time, part time, work time models
incapacitation
compensation

7. Übersicht maternity protection resolution of employment
Important contents of Collective Agreements (CA)
maternity protection
resolution of employment
service invention
training
business trips (domestic and abroad)
wages (schemes)

8. Legal Basis of CA Labour Law normative impact (for whole branch)
work time
holidays
constitution
normative impact (for whole branch)

9. CA in the bench system of law
Übersicht
CA in the bench system of law
contract
Better YES
Worse NO
operating agreement
collective agreement
labour law
constitution

10. Es gibt vieles, für das es sich lohnt, organisiert zu sein.