Salary offensive for social professions: 4% more for 130,000 women!

Salary offensive for social professions: 4% more for 130,000 women!

Negotiations for the collective agreement in the social sector start on Tuesday and expectations are high. Eva Scherz from the private employees' union (GPA) made it clear in advance that contracts below the inflation rate are unacceptable. A salary increase of four percent is required for around 130,000 employees. The signs of urgency are obvious: not only wages are under discussion, working hours and conditions should also be improved. News.at reports that three quarters of employees are women and many work part-time, which further complicates the situation.

Scherz criticizes the fact that the Republic's funds do not benefit social work employees. The union demands fair pay for the valuable work done in this area. However, Yvonne Hochsteiner, the employer's negotiator, is critical of the financial leeway. She sees little scope for salary increases and warns of a possible deterioration in the financial situation, which could last until 2027. An example of these threatened cuts is the cancellation of the 15th salary for nursing staff in Salzburg. ÖGB adds that salary increases have already been agreed in other sectors such as the public service, the metal industry and the chemical industry.

The challenge in the social sector

The discussion about the “care pay gap”, which primarily affects the social sector, is also noteworthy. In Germany, employees in the social sector earn on average 17 percent less than their colleagues in other areas. The high proportion of women and the numerous part-time jobs are key factors for this wage gap, which is no different in Austria. Tagesschau.de highlights that the unadjusted 2021 wage gap of 17 percent for full-time jobs is a major point of criticism.

The numbers clearly show that it's not just about higher salaries. The appreciation of work in the social sector is also up for debate. The gender pay gap is also a major concern for society, as it also has noticeable effects in social professions. Almost two thirds of the gender pay gap can be explained by higher part-time rates for women and lower salaries in jobs typically reserved for women.

A central point in the discussion is the question: “How much is the social sector of society worth?” This question will accompany the negotiations and is crucial for further action in the social economy. The urgency of the negotiations suggests that not just top notes, but real solutions must be found in order to adequately reward the good work of employees in the social sector.