Austrian Trade Union Federation (ÖGB)

Chancellor Leopold Figl said: "No government in our country can go about business as usual without the trade union confederation." He probably spoke from experience. Because the delegates were happy about the achievements of the last few years, such as the Social Security Transition Act (1947), the Workers' and Construction Workers' Leave Act (1946), the Collective Agreements Act (1947) and the Works Councils Act (1947).

The trade union movement was also setting itself new goals. First and foremost was securing a tolerable standard of living in the devastated Austria, counteracting inflation by concluding collective agreements, implementing price-reducing measures, and fighting the threat of inflation.

At the 2nd ÖGB federal congress in October 1951, it became apparent that the ÖGB's democratic and non-partisan orientation was retained. Nevertheless, press chief Fritz Klenner warned that neither sensations nor miracles should be expected from the 2nd Federal Congress. For the almost one million members, however, the passing of the Unemployment Insurance Act (1949), the Housing Assistance Act (1951) and the improvement in living standards, full employment, or the security of real income through collective agreements already sounded like a miracle.

A sensation, on the other hand, was that the 3rd ÖGB federal congress took place in October 1955 in a free Austria. The State Treaty was signed on May 15, 1955, by the Allies and the Austrian Federal Government. That would have been a good reason to celebrate. But there was more.

The ÖGB listed its successes in a long list, from the Social Security Act (1955) and the Homework Act (1954) to the Youth Employment Act (1953). At the same time, the ÖGB presented a 10-point program that included preventing price increases, reducing working hours to 40 hours a week with full wage compensation (achieved in 1975) and extending vacation time (achieved in stages by 1986) and expanding childcare facilities.

From now on, the subject of inflation and countermeasures were a recurring item on the agenda at the ÖGB federal congresses. Price reduction programs were repeatedly presented and often implemented, such as the establishment of the Parity Commission in 1957 or the Economic Advisory Council in 1963. Inflation was also be discussed again at the 20th ÖGB Federal Congress in June 2023, although the ÖGB has already presented a catalog on price reductions and underlined this with the "Price Down" campaign.

The 4th ÖGB federal congress in September 1959 brought something new. For example, representatives of the church and business organizations were invited for the first time. The ÖGB President at the time, Franz Olah, warned of the specter of inflation, called for protection against the danger of automation and listed the successes of the trade unions, such as the general collective agreement to reduce working hours from 48 to 45 hours a week or the passage of the Maternity Protection Act (1957). This was followed by many other unions demands, such as the passage of the Vocational Training Act (achieved in 1969) or the codification of labor law (achieved in 1974). Delegates applauded the announcement that workers' earnings exceeded the cost of living.

The 5th ÖGB federal congress in September 1963 was dominated by the tense economic and socio-political situation. Shortly before, the Federation of Industry sent out a “negative list”, which countered the ÖGB with a positive list. The Federation of Industrialists demanded, for example: No granting of employee rights to workers (achieved in 2019), no severance pay (achieved by the ÖGB in 1979), no reduction in working hours (achieved in 1969) or no interruption of vacation due to illness (achieved in 1974). Something similar happened at other federal congresses in 1995 and 2018.

As with the 5th and 13th Federal Congress, there was bad news at the 19th ÖGB Federal Congress in June 2018. Exactly on the day that Congress passed the demand for a reduction in working hours, the right-winged federal government decided on the opposite, the 12-hour day and the 60-hour week.

ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian replied: "We are a self-confident trade union movement, and we will join all our forces to create the framework conditions in such a way that a good life is possible for employees." Conferences, demonstrations, and actions followed, the negative effects of the 12-hour day were cushioned in the unions' collective bargaining agreements.

Things were more peaceful at the 6th ÖGB federal congress in September 1969. The motto was "Ensure full employment - promote economic growth - distribute national income fairly." A strong statement during a recession and the conservative Austrian People’s Party sole government (1966--1970). The ÖGB President at the time, Anton Benya, asserted that the ÖGB was impartial. Benya said: “The Austrian Trade Union Confederation is neither an opposition party nor a part of the state and administrative apparatus. (...) Our attitude towards the government depends on the extent to which it meets the legitimate wishes, concerns, and needs of workers.”

Ultimately, the ÖGB was not dissatisfied with the Austrian People’s Party 's sole government. After some pressure, the Working Hours Act, the Labor Market Promotion Act, and the Vocational Training Act were passed.

The ÖGB, on the other hand, was completely dissatisfied with the right-winged federal government (2000-2006). The motto of the 15th ÖGB federal congress in October 2003 was “People are our strength” and the ÖGB proved this impressively. In response to the announcements of planned social cuts between 2000 and 2003, actions, demonstrations and strikes took place across Austria. The goal was clear: to maintain social security for the people. Under pressure from the people and the Austrian Trade Union Federation, the federal government had to cut some things, such as ambulance fees or the taxation of accident pensions.

“The happy development that our republic has taken would be unthinkable without the purposeful and wise policy of the Austrian Trade Union Federation.” - Federal President Rudolf Kirschläger at the 7th ÖGB Federal Congress (September 1971)

Before the 7th ÖGB Federal Congress in September 1971, an editor of "Solidarity" warned against too high expectations: "The ÖGB cannot afford to pull decisions out of a hat like a magician", only to burst at the 8th ÖGB into jubilation at the Federal Congress in September 1975. He wrote of a successful team that could present an almost unprecedented balance sheet. Around 80 percent of all demands have been met: three tax cuts, full employment reaches its absolute peak, vacation is extended to five weeks a year, the Family Law Reform (1975), the Labor Constitution Law (1974) and the Youth Trust Council Law (1972) are passed. He concluded with the words, "You have to give the ÖGB the economic Oscar" - even if it doesn't exist.

The Federal President at the time, Rudolf Kirchschläger, went one better. He said: "The happy development that our republic has taken would be unthinkable without the purposeful and wise policy of the ÖGB."

After the 12th ÖGB federal congress in October 1991, the editor of “Solidarity” hit the keys again: “It was a self-confident congress, proud of the successes that the trade unions achieved. (...) After all, the last four years have been a constant alternation between euphoria and disillusionment.”

The trade unionists were euphoric about successes such as the minimum wage of 10,000 Schilling for more than 200,000 people affected, the tax reform making 90 percent of the working population on the winning side, the adoption of the family package and the fact that there were two women on the Federal Presidency for the first time. The uncertainty about the effects of the forthcoming EU accession was sobering. At the 15th ÖGB Federal Congress, there were again two women in the executive committee, the executive secretary Roswitha Bachner and the women's chairwoman Renate Csörgits.

“Those who believe that they no longer have to count on the ÖGB's fighting power and clout will be wrong.” ÖGB President Rudolf Hundstorfer at the 16th ÖGB National Congress (2007)

In March 2006, the BAWAG affair rocked the trade union movement, ÖGB President Fritz Verzetnitsch had to go, and the new union leadership decided to sell the bank. Under the motto "What has happened cannot be undone. We can shape the future”, the ÖGB started a structural reform in May 2006. The future of the ÖGB began at the 16th ÖGB Federal Congress on January 23, 2007, at 6:35 p.m. The reform was approved unanimously by the delegates. The result was more participation for members, limited top incomes for higher unionists, and a quota of women on committees. Six of the 16 members on the Executive Board were women.

The new ÖGB President Rudolf Hundstorfer said: "Those who believe that they no longer have to count on the fighting power of the ÖGB will be wrong." He was to be right. In the next few years, some union demands could be enforced, such as: the wage and social dumping law (2011) or the tax reform (2015) and also that the boarding school costs of vocational school students should be covered by the insolvency fund in the future (2018) and not be paid any more by the apprentices. 

“If unions didn't exist, they would have to be invented.” - Federal President Alexander Van der Bellen, at the 19th ÖGB Federal Congress (June 2018)

Strict rules

The 18th ÖGB Federal Congress in June 2013 was marked by the easing of the global economic crisis. The social partners had prevented high unemployment through quick short-time work agreements, but the state coffers were empty. Hundstorfer's successor, Erich Foglar said: The crisis must not be followed by social cuts, there must be strict rules for financial markets."

"We will not stand idly by while the interests of employees are being run over," said the newly elected ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian at the 19th ÖGB Federal Congress in June 2018, referring to the planned social cuts by the right-winged government. Their program read like a slasher film, the victims were the employees: reduction of partial retirement, extension of working hours, end of the campaign for long-term unemploye, an "unsocial security reform", abolition of the youth trust councils. The answer came immediately. ÖGJ chairwoman Susanne Hofer and colleagues taped their mouths and demonstratively took the stage during the speech by Social Affairs Minister Beate Hartinger-Klein (FPÖ). The government backtracked. In 2019 it was clear that the youth trust councils would continue to exist.

ÖGB-President Wolfgang Katzian promised: "We are per se, the thorn in the side of the government and the Chamber of Commerce." In June 2018, 1,200 works council members discussed measures against the 12-hour day, hundreds of works councils meetings, many actions took place and 100,000 people demonstrated against it. The law could not be prevented, but the unions resorted to a tried and tested method: collective agreements. Instead of the planned conversion of unemployment assistance into minimum income, it was possible to push through a long-standing trade union demand to abolish the inclusion of partner income in unemployment assistance (2018). The list of successes can be continued: Father’s Leave Act (2019), the full crediting of parental leave to entitlements dependent on length of service (2019) or the reintroduction of the campaign for long-term unemployed (2019).