Paper industry incomes to rise

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Business

People employed by domestic paper industry companies will earn more from next month.Works council representatives announced today (Fri) company bosses of the sector agreed to pay 3.1 per cent more to staff from 1 May. Negotiators said the leadership of the firms also agreed to raise trainees’ salaries by the same rate. The settlement will […]

Porr still feels the crunch

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Business

Construction sector giant Porr AG’s earnings shrank by more than a fifth last year.The company announced today (Fri) that it achieved earnings before interest and taxes (Ebit) of 49.1 million Euros in 2010, down from 64 million Euros the year before.Porr argued that it has been feeling the most recent recession – which broke out […]

Bleak tourism evaluation amid feared overnight stay decline

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Business

A tourism sector official has called for more marketing efforts within Austria as hotels brace for a decline in overnight stays.Hans Schenner, head of the Federal Economy Chamber’s (WKO) tourism department, said today (Thurs) he feared hotels and guesthouses of the country welcomed fewer guests this month than in April 2010. Schenner also announced that […]

Number of clinics in Vienna to dwindle

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Politics

Political decision-makers in Vienna have revealed plans to drastically reduce the number of hospitals in the city.The Social Democrats (SPÖ) – who form a government coalition with the Greens in the federal capital – said yesterday (Thurs) that there should be just seven instead of the current 12 city-owned clinics by 2030.SPÖ Vienna Health Councillor […]

Austrians fear Japan crisis will boost energy prices

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Business

Most Austrians fear that the nuclear disaster in Japan will lead to higher energy prices.Linz-based research agency Market found that 62 per cent expect electricity and other energy sources to become more expensive due to the detonations at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.Several countries across the world are currently reconsidering their plans to engage with […]

Vienna Uni ranks near bottom in global top 100

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Politics

The debate over whether the government spends enough on higher education is set to intensify after just one Austrian university made the top 100 in a global ranking.Vienna University was listed in the group of institutions placed between 91st and 100th in the 2011 Times Higher Education Ranking. The study provides detailed data for the […]

Austrian tourism sector less competitive

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Business

The Austrian tourism branch has suffered in competitiveness, according to a survey presented today (Tues).The World Economic Forum (WEF) listed Austria in fourth in its latest Global Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Monitor, down two spots compared to the 2009 edition of the study.Switzerland heads the chart which features 219 countries and considers federal tourisms’ sustainability […]

WIFO warns building firms of a tough time

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Business

Austrian construction companies are in for a difficult year, a leading think tank has warned.The Institute for Economic Research (WIFO) announced today (Fri) that it expected investments in the domestic building sector to grow by just 0.7 per cent year on year. The think tank pointed out that the Austrian gross domestic product (GDP) was […]

Sport goods sales up by more than three per cent

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Business

Austria’s sporting goods retail sector achieved above-average growth last year, it has been announced.Branch officials said today (Fri) that the sector managed to increase its business activities by 3.3 per cent year on year. They underlined that the country’s retail sector grew by just 2.2 per cent at the same time.Experts said sport equipment shops’ […]

European building sector not out of recession yet, claims Swietelsky

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Business

The recession still has the European construction sector in its grip, a leading building company has warned.Linz-based Swietelsky, Austria’s fifth-biggest construction firm, said today (Tues) that it would give a “careful” outlook due to the “insecure situation” in the Eurozone. The term describes the 16 European Union (EU) members which use the Euro as their […]