Ski ops challenge Austria’s plan to increase minimum wage
Ski operators claim plans by the Austrian government to increase the minimum wage could force increased prices and put off skiers.
Powder White is leading a campaign to highlight how damaging the plans by the Austrian government could be for those working in the ski industry.
It said the move would result in higher costs halfway through the ski season.
Politicians are proposing that non-resident workers are paid the same wages as Austrian employees, irrespective of other elements of their remuneration package.
In Austria, employees are paid for 14 months, not for 12. If this was pro-rata’d over the ski season, then a chalet host would be paid for seven months and not for six.
Ski operators would have to pay the Austrian Minimum Wage as well as other elements of the salary package already given such as free accommodation, food, ski pass, ski hire, insurance, and travel.
Fraser Ewart-White, founder of Powder White, said: "These highly damaging proposals would lead to a large increase in employment costs, which will affect the viability of providing good value chalet holidays in Austria.
"We are working with other ski operators to challenge these plans which, if passed, would hurt the Austrian tourism industry immensely.
"We would ask the Austrian government to think very hard about these law changes, which if implemented, would be bad news for the country and also not enable operators to pull out this season if they wanted to due to holidays already sold."
The Austrian government has passed a final version of its proposal to amend the Austrian Anti Wage Dumping Act and it could be approved November 20th.
The changes would take effect from January 1, 2015.
Diane
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025