Windfall for WBAG company chiefs

Categories
Business

The bosses of Austria’s most powerful companies are earning much more this year than in 2011, according to a survey. The Labour Chamber (AK) said yesterday (Thurs) that the chiefs of the 20 Austrian firms which were listed on the Vienna Stock Exchange (WBAG) would rake in 1.3 million Euros on average in 2012, up […]

Black Wings snatch title

Categories
Sports

Black Wings Linz have won the EBEL Ice Hockey League. The Upper Austrian team beat KAC 3-1 in the fifth match of the best of seven series on Sunday. Black Wings managed to win the trophy back in 2003. This season’s triumph followed a humiliating exit in the quarter final of last year’s EBEL league.

Finance sector salary increase sealed

Categories
Finance

Financial sector staff will get more from next month, it has been announced. Negotiators agreed about an income increase of 3.47 per cent on average yesterday (Thurs). The decision came after clerks were given the all-clear by the Federal Trade Union (ÖGB) to down tools in an attempted pressure increase. They initially called for a […]

BA boss ‘proud’ despite profit drop

Categories
Finance

Bank Austria (BA) chief Willibald Cernko has admitted being “proud” of how his finance institute performed in the past years. The banker pointed out that BA was the only leading Austrian bank which did not sustain annual losses since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. The bankruptcy of the US investment bank kicked off […]

Amendment could cause gas price decline

Categories
Business

The head of energy sector watchdog E-Control has disclosed his plans for fairer gas prices. Walter Boltz told the Kurier today (Thurs) that a change of the current gas market law was planned for the beginning of next year. He said this step would allow Austrian firms to acquire transit gas. Boltz said it was […]

Big spenders

Categories
Business

Health bosses are spending millions rebuilding an obesity clinic in Rissen, Austria, because their XXL patients are getting even fatter. Designers have created wider doors, reinforced beds with thicker mattresses, two metre-wide operating gowns and even super-sized paper undies. Officials say people have grown larger and larger since the clinic first opened and a typical […]

Emirates request rejected

Categories
Business

The Austrian infrastructure ministry has dismissed Emirates’ appeal for increased landing rights. The booming airline – which was founded in 1985 – wanted to offer two daily flights between Vienna International Airport (VIA or VIE) and Dubai International Airport (DXB) from Sunday (25 March). Now federal Social Democratic (SPÖ) Traffic Minister Doris Bures rejected the […]

Ditz optimistic about sales

Categories
Finance

Hypo Group Alpe Adria (HGAA) supervisory board head Johannes Ditz has said he is confident that the bank will manage to sell two affiliates. The former Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) economy minister said today (Thurs) HGAA managed to “get rid of all possible risk factors” which could endanger a sale of its Austrian and Italian […]

School salary structure changes planned

Categories
Politics

The government wants to reform teachers’ service law. Social Democratic (SPÖ) Education Minister Claudia Schmied and Finance Minister Maria Fekter of the People’s Party (ÖVP) reportedly agree that teachers should get higher wages in their first years on the job. Such measures would affect the incomes of new teachers but leave the salaries of people […]

Micro Light Success As Rare Ibis Returns

Categories
Green Austria

By Michael Leidig A critically endangered bird species that lived in Europe for 1.8 million years before it was wiped out by hunters has been reintroduced in three locations by a bird lover who showed them the way using a microlight. Dr Johannes Fritz used the technique of imprinting by making sure he was the […]