The Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB [1]) published its membership data for 2010 at its federal board meeting in April 2011. ÖGB lost some 11,000 members in 2010 compared with 2009 and currently has 1,211,111 members. However, the decline of 0.9 percentage points is the second lowest within the past 20 years. Only in 2008 was the decline lower with a loss of 9,205 members. The biggest decline occurred in 2006 when some 63,410 members cancelled their membership. This was due to the ÖGB’s involvement in a financial scandal concerning the then ÖGB owned Bank for Employment and Commerce (BAWAG [2]) (*AT0604019I* [3], *AT0605029I* [4], *AT0611029I* [5]).[1] http://www.oegb.at/[2] http://www.bawag.at[3] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/union-president-forced-to-resign-over-bank-scandal[4] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/union-crisis-puts-social-partnership-at-risk[5] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/disagreement-over-future-role-of-trade-union-federation
Although the seven affiliated trade unions of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) together lost some 11,000 members between 2009 and 2010, this was the second smallest decline in the past 20 years. GPA-djp (Union of Salaried Employees, Graphical Workers and Journalists) and GÖD (Union of Public Employees) even increased their membership numbers. A new agreement has increased the payments by the affiliated unions to ÖGB from 16 to 19% of their income from members.
Second lowest decline in last two decades
The Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) published its membership data for 2010 at its federal board meeting in April 2011. ÖGB lost some 11,000 members in 2010 compared with 2009 and currently has 1,211,111 members. However, the decline of 0.9 percentage points is the second lowest within the past 20 years. Only in 2008 was the decline lower with a loss of 9,205 members. The biggest decline occurred in 2006 when some 63,410 members cancelled their membership. This was due to the ÖGB’s involvement in a financial scandal concerning the then ÖGB owned Bank for Employment and Commerce (BAWAG) (AT0604019I, AT0605029I, AT0611029I).
Breakdown of ÖGB membership in 2010
Two of the seven ÖGB affiliated unions even increased their membership numbers in 2010 (see table). The Union of Salaried Employees, Graphical Workers and Journalists (GPA-djp), representing all white-collar workers in the private sector, is the largest Austrian trade union with 269,103 members. GPA-djp increased its membership in 2010 by 1,301 people. The Union of Public Employees (GÖD) had 232,065 members in 2010, increasing its membership by 615 people. It therefore overtook the Manufacturing Union (PRO-GE) (the second largest union), which faced the biggest losses with a membership decline of 7,595 people.
GPA-djp’s membership growth was primarily found in sectors concerned with conflicts and where unions have become active. This is particularly true for the retail sector, in which a new minimum wage was agreed in the latest collective bargaining round (AT1012011I). GPA-djp was also politically active in triggering a debate on increasing wealth tax which was taken over by the Chancellor’s party, the Social Democrats (SPÖ). GPA-djp’s Chair, Wolfgang Katzian, holds a seat in the Austrian Parliament (National Council) for the Social Democrats.
| Union | Number of members | Change between 2009 and 2010 | % of total ÖGB membership |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union of Salaried Employees, Graphical Workers and Journalists (GPA-djp) | 269,103 | +1,301 (+0.5%) | 22.2% |
| Union of Public Employees (GÖD) | 232,065 | +615 (+0.3%) | 19.2% |
| Manufacturing Union (PRO-GE) | 230,015 | -7,595 (-3.2%) | 19.0% |
| Union for Municipal Employees and the Arts, Media, Sports and Liberal Professions (GdG-KMSfB) | 156,115 | +163 (+0.1%) | 12.9% |
| vida (transport, social, personal and health services, private services) | 152,460 | -2,589 (-1.7%) | 12.6% |
| Union of Construction and Wood Workers (GBH) | 117,623 | -1,694 (-1.4%) | 9.7% |
| Union of Post and Telecommunications Employees (GPF) | 53,730 | -1,280 (-2.3%) | 4.4% |
| Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB) | 1,211,111 | -11,079 (-0.9%) | 100% |
Source: ÖGB
New financial agreement between ÖGB and its affiliates
After the financial agreement between ÖGB and its member unions expired at the end of 2010, a new model of financing was agreed. At the federal board meeting in April 2011, the percentage of the membership fees received by the unions paid to ÖGB was increased from 16% to 19%. Transitional aid of €15 million, which is to be paid to ÖGB in stages until 2014, was also decided on to improve ÖGB’s financial situation.
The level of payments by the trade unions to ÖGB was at 29% before the BAWAG crisis. It was reduced to 16% after the Austrian government rescued the bank (see the Austrian contribution to the annual review of industrial relations developments 2006) because the affiliated unions had themselves been weakened by the crisis. Since the sale of BAWAG in late 2006, ÖGB has relied on membership dues alone; as membership numbers have declined, ÖGB’s financial means have fallen. There was unanimous agreement on the new rate, which will last for an unlimited period of time. Nonetheless, ÖGB agreed to take measures to streamline its organisation and thus reduce its costs.
Bernadette Allinger, Working Life Research Centre (FORBA)
Eurofound doporučuje citovat tuto publikaci následujícím způsobem.
Eurofound (2011), Decline in trade union membership slows down, article.
