Union of Railway Workers

The Austrian Union of Railway Workers (GdE for short) was a traditional union in Austria that merged into the vida union at the end of 2006 . It defined itself as a social, political and cultural community of interests for active and retired railway workers and their families.

With exactly 90,249 members, the GdE was the sixth largest of the 13 trade unions of the Austrian Federation of Trade Unions at the end of 2004 . Its structure was democratic, non-partisan and based on voluntary membership and was responsible for members of the following companies:

• all railway companies in Austria
• Austrian Insurance Company for Railways and Mining (VAEB)
• the union worker himself
• former employees in the pension with prior employment with one of the aforementioned employer.

Structure of the organization

Union Day is the highest decision-making body in any union. The regular trade union day of the GdE took place every four years. Delegates voted there:

• the chairman (last chairman was Wilhelm Haberzettl ) and his deputy
• the central secretary and his deputy
• the presidium
• the federal board
• the extended federal board
• the control commission
• the arbitral tribunal

The union support of the members was divided into nine regional secretariats (according to the federal states) in:

• 8 specialist agencies
  • Technology / planning / construction
  • Traction
  • Technical Services
  • business
  • Passenger / freight transport
  • Management Services
  • Private railways
  • Retirees
• 2 departments
  • Women
  • youth
• 8 departments
  • economy
  • Law
  • Finance and accounting
  • Member service
  • Property management
  • it
  • Personnel development and further training
  • Social