Talks on Salary Hikes at VW SK Fail, Trade Union Considering Strike
Bratislava, June 9 (TASR) – Talks on a new collective agreement between the Modern Trade Union Volkswagen and Volkswagen Slovakia were concluded without any result on Friday, with the union now considering declaring a strike.
According to the union, its demands for improved working and salary conditions at the plant weren’t accepted by the management.
“We can’t back away from employees’ demands as conveyed to us for a long time … The situation that we’ve found ourselves in after eleven rounds of talks doesn’t please us, but it’s our duty to fight for our employees, on whom the success of this plant is based, even via a full-fledged strike,” said union chief Zoroslav Smolinsky.
The union is demanding a salary increase by an average of 16 percent.
Meanwhile, VW SK claims that it wants to continue the talks, with its spokesperson Lucia Kovarovic Makayova stating that the company wants to remain a “good, fair and stable employer”, offering above-standard salary conditions and a generous social programme.
“Demands for salary increases of 16 percent are unacceptable, as this would significantly endanger the company’s competitiveness and future, as well as the stability of jobs,” added the VW spokesperson.
