# GPA Union Demands 3.8% Raise for Retail Workers October 22, 2026 at 02:27 PM > The GPA union has proposed a 3.8 percent salary increase and improved working conditions for 439,000 Austrian retail employees. The **GPA union** officially submitted its 2027 collective bargaining demands at the **Economic Chamber** in Vienna on Thursday morning. Chief negotiator **Linda Keizer** is seeking a 3.8 percent salary increase for 420,000 retail employees and 19,000 apprentices. Key demands include a mandatory five-day week, overtime surcharges from the first hour, and shift-coverage allowances. The union also wants the sixth week of vacation to be reachable earlier. Employer negotiator **Rainer Trefelik** called the raise unfeasible. The talks occur as the retail sector has lost jobs since 2023. While inflation is projected at 2.6 to 2.8 percent for 2027, WIFO and IHS forecast modest GDP growth of 1.0 to 1.3 percent. These negotiations will determine the future of **Austria**'s largest sector. #AustriaRetail #GPAUnion #CollectiveBargaining #RetailWorkers [#ViennaEconomy]() ## Related news ## [Austria Retail Wage Talks Begin for 420,000 Staff]() October 22, 2026 at 08:02 PM ## [Vienna Food Prices Drop Nearly 10% in 2026 Audit]() October 14, 2026 at 02:19 PM