Berger-Ratley takes over Salzburg ÖGB chair on an interim basis

Petra Berger-Ratley has become acting chair of the Austrian Trade Union Federation’s Salzburg branch, replacing Peter Eder, ORF reported. The change was approved at a meeting of the branch’s executive board on Wednesday.

Berger-Ratley is expected to be formally elected at a state congress next year. Eder, who is also president of the Chamber of Labour and leader of Salzburg’s Social Democratic Party, said he would remain a trade unionist and continue working with her.

Berger-Ratley has chaired the ÖGB Salzburg women’s section since 2017. She has also been the Salzburg state chair of the Younion union since that year, representing municipal employees as well as workers in the region’s municipalities and in sport, arts and culture. She has served on the staff representation body of Salzburg’s city administration since 1998.

She said the ÖGB and Chamber of Labour would continue their established cooperation, and that disagreements should be resolved through negotiations and constructive discussion.