Austria's GPA calls for joint shop stewards for shopping centres

Workers' representation store by store is not enough:
Austria's GPA calls for joint shop stewards for shopping centres

Workers in shopping centres must have a voice, says Wolfgang Katzian, president of the large UNI-affiliated trade union GPA. At a meeting with workers and management of the Lugner City shopping mall in Vienna, Katzian promised "not to leave the workers out in the rain" but fully support their demands. These range from refusing Sunday opening and demanding a better implementation of the collective agreements to asking for better toilet facilities in the centre.

Wolfgang Katzian, GPA President

GPA's initiative comes at a time when shopping malls wield an ever larger influence on the working conditions of the workers. Shop opening hours and many other conditions are usually established in contracts between the centre and the stores, which calls for a social dialogue also between the workers' trade union and the mall management.

Seventy per cent of the workers and shop stewards in shopping centres want to have a local union representative on site, GPA says. This union rep would function as a shop steward and be able to resolve problems fast in negotiations with the social partner.

A resounding 99 per cent of the workers in Lugner City say no to Sunday opening, the union says. Although a clear majority is generally satisfied with their working conditions, there are still problems to be solved. They can only dream of having a long weekend sometimes, and collective agreement provisions are not always respected.

One third of the shopping centre workers consider it difficult to go to the toilet during the working day. - It is not about pointing the finger at anyone, but this problem must be resolved in a correct way, said Wolfgang Katzian. - The union will engage itself in this, and take up talks with the mall's management.

- Our most important instrument is of course the collective agreement, but it is not enough to raise incomes, it is also necessary to make progress with improving the working situation.

The GPA president drew attention to the need for children's day care services, where he wants the federal government to take action. He also demanded safe and efficient facilities for commuting to work, including a better coordination of collective traffic schedules with the shop opening hours.