White-collar workers' union launches restructuring

In June 2000, the Union of Salaried Employees (GPA), Austria's largest trade union, launched a large-scale reform of its organisation. The reform was deemed necessary because of the profound economic changes taking place in the services sector. A modern and flexible structure should enable the union to react faster to these new developments.

At a special assembly held on 26-27 June 2000 in Vienna, the Union of Salaried Employees (Gewerkschaft der Privatangestellten, GPA) adopted a new constitution, following three years of preparation. This launches a major organisational reform - the most substantial in GPA's history - which will be finalised in 2002.

GPA is the largest member union of the Austrian Trade Union Federation (Österreichischer Gewerkschaftsbund, ÖGB), with about 295,000 members, and covers nearly all private sector white-collar employees, as well as representing students and pensioners. It is perceived as a politically engaged union. The structure of GPA is currently "two-dimensional", with a territorial dimension (ie at the level of the federal states, or Länder) and a sectoral dimension (see below).

The most important organisational reforms relate to: the replacement of GPA's sectoral sections by a larger number of "economic branches"; the establishment of "interest groupings" and "issue platforms" within the union; and a new regional structure. The union has also opened the possibility of membership for so-called "new self-employed persons" - those who are formally self-employed, while their employment conditions resemble very much those of employees.

New organisation

GPA's current sections (Sektionen) - for trade and industry, commerce, money and credit, insurance, social insurance and agriculture - are replaced by 24 "economic branches" (Wirtschaftsbereiche). This new organisation is seen as a more flexible framework, capable of meeting changes in the economy. Furthermore, it should open new opportunities in respect of collective bargaining. The federal committee (Bundesausschuß) of each economic branch will represent employees in its domain within GPA and is entitled to develop strategies and concepts for interest representation. In addition, the federal committees will conduct collective bargaining at federal and regional level in their respective economic branch.

Interest groupings and issue platforms

Interest groupings (Interessengemeinschaften) will be created within GPA to pursue the special interests of members across different branches who work under similar conditions, such as information technology specialists or sales representatives. Within these groupings, occupation-related problems are to be examined through projects, in which GPA members should have the opportunity to participate at regional and federal level. The joint work on these projects may result in the development of specific services, products or collective bargaining demands. Immediately after the June 2000 assembly, two permanent interest groupings were established for information technology and private social services.

"Issue platforms" (Themenplatformen) will be established in order to discuss specific issues (such as working time) and to work out the union's position on these topics. Every member will have the opportunity to initiate platforms and to participate in them. Platforms may be established at federal or regional level or in a specific economic branch.

New regional organisation

Another element of the restructuring of GPA is the establishment of a new regional structure. The organisation based on Austria's nine Länderis replaced by regions, with a smaller coverage. The remit of these new regional bodies is very comprehensive, ranging from interest representation to the provision of a variety of services, both for works councils and individual members. This should bring a closer contact with employees on a regional basis. Workshops and projects are to be established, through which GPA members may work on specific economic and social issues concerning their region. A major goal of the reform is to provide better and more comprehensive services for members.

New internal structure

A new "internal structure" is created with the aim of providing more effective and professional support for works councils. GPA will provide assistance in cases such as labour court proceedings. For this purpose, highly qualified personnel in various activities are to be placed at the disposal of the union.

Governing bodies

The top governing bodies of GPA are also subject to reforms. The highest body will be the federal forum (Bundesforum), which meets every four years, with the first planned for 2002. The executive board (Bundesvorstand) will convene at least twice a year. The presidency (Präsidium), consisting of the GPA chair and vice chairs, is the political leadership and deals on an ongoing basis with political matters affecting GPA. The new management structure will replace the central secretariat with four areas of work (interest representation, services/welfare, marketing/communication and support/back-office). In the new leadership structure, a clear distinction is made between political leadership (Präsidium) and the executive staff (Geschäftsführung).

The economic branches, regions, interest groupings and issue platforms are established by the new constitution as GPA's main structural pillars. In addition, GPA has committed itself to establish an appropriate framework for two specific groups - women and young people - within the union structure, in order to represent their interests.

Commentary

Since GPA represents employees in the private services sector - one of the most rapidly changing and developing parts of the economy - the organisation of employees' interests in this sector is very sensitive to new economic challenges. The sector is especially faced with issues such as flexible working time, new forms of employment, women's employment and the development of new branches.

The major goal of the GPA reform is to adjust the union's structure to these new requirements in a way that ensures a more flexible organisational framework, capable of immediate responses to a changing environment and more efficient support for works councils and members (Angelika Stueckler, University of Vienna).