In Austria, collective agreements are concluded between representatives of employers and employees. These agreements regulate rights and obligations such as salary, working hours, place of employment, termination of the employment relationship, and other important matters. Employees are entitled to rely on the provisions of the collective agreement, and employers are legally bound to comply with its terms.
In the public sector, there are no traditional collective agreements. Instead, specific statutory regulations govern the employment of civil servants and contract staff, such as the Civil Servants Employment Act (Beamten-Dienstrechtsgesetz) and the Contract Staff Act (Vertragsbedienstetengesetz). Austria’s public sector comprises all individuals who work for the state – for example, for a province, a city or a municipality. This includes teachers, police officers, administrative employees, judges or nursing staff working in state-run hospitals.
