NATIONAL LABOUR MARKET POLICIES
Basic Information Reports
2.3.1.2.Voluntary professional associations
These are based on voluntary membership and are associations as defined in the Associations Act.
Employees
The most important voluntary professional association is the Austrian Trade Union Federation (Österreichischer Gewerkschaftsbund - ÖGB). It consists of 14 craft unions which - with the exception of the Private Salaried Employees' Union - are organised on a sector basis.
The functions of this federation include ensuring that labour legislation is observed, representing the members in individual labour disputes, pursuing the expansion of the system of labour law through the conclusion of collective agreements, assessing laws and bills, providing support to works councils and participating in national socioeconomic policy formulation.
Employers
The most important voluntary professional association for employers is the Association of Austrian Industrialists. There are also a few others, such as the Federation of Austrian Newspaper Publishers, the General Federation of Printing Firms, the Federation of Insurance Companies, etc.
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