Teachers' dispute continues

Teachers employed by the federal government in Austria have been involved in a bitter dispute over pay issues since April 1998, and when or how it will be resolved is still unclear in September 1998. Given the means of protest chosen, the conflict could simmer on for the entire 1998/9 school year.

As the school year started in early September 1998, teachers employed by the Austrian federal government - organised in two sections within the Public Service Trade Union (Gewerkschaft Öffentlicher Dienst, GÖD) - resumed their protests. These had erupted the previous April over the government's decision, that had been basically agreed with the trade union, to pay only for those hours actually worked in the class room, instead of the customary lump-sum overtime allowance (AT9805183F).

Teachers were outraged because of the many hours they spend on non-class activities and project weeks. The latter are weeks of excursions to Vienna or to the country, for skiing or other sports purposes, or for language practice and school exchanges to other European countries. By July, it was thought that a compromise had been reached. Project leaders would be paid ATS 6,434 extra for a project week and other accompanying teachers ATS 4,143. The total amount budgeted for this purpose in the current school year (1998/9) is ATS 150 million. A similar amount is budgeted for next year. However, teachers now insist that this consists almost entirely or reimbursement of expenses with only a very small actual pay component. Nor do they concur with the government that their regular salary covers non-class activities.

As a result, GÖD first called on teachers to boycott project weeks in 1998/9 and then decided on 24 September to declare the boycott an official industrial dispute. In this way teachers cannot be held liable for any financial repercussions of late cancellations, nor can they be forced by the threat of disciplinary action to hold the scheduled project weeks. Furthermore, on 1 October, teachers' meetings were due to be held in schools between 08.00 and 10.00. There was some hope that teachers might be appeased if concessions were offered for the school year 1999-2000, but this would require adjustments to an already agreed - and tight - budget. Teachers employed by provincial authorities, also organised by GÖD but in a separate third section, have kept a low profile in the dispute. It is unclear how much parents sympathise with the teachers. Student organisations have repeatedly expressed their view that students are entitled to the non-classroom activities and that teachers should find other ways of voicing their grievances.

There is some concern at the Austrian Chamber of the Economy (Wirtschaftskammer Österreich, WKÖ) over the looming boycott. Guest houses hosting school ski weeks are an established industry. In the province of Salzburg alone, there are 155 of these with about 14,300 beds.