Ardo workers protest stalled social plan talks

About 300 employees protested outside the Ardo vegetable-processing plant in Groß-Enzersdorf on Monday over stalled talks on a social plan for its 240 workers, ORF reported.

Some vegetable growers joined the protest in solidarity. The demonstration was organised by the PRO-GE and GPA trade unions.

Ardo’s plant is due to close in August 2027, while the development of industrial processing capacity will take more time. PRO-GE chair Reinhold Binder called for companies taking over frozen-food production to offer jobs to Ardo employees. He also urged federal and state authorities to encourage future processors to hire them and provide retraining if needed.

PRO-GE is seeking significant improvements to the social plan and the creation of a job foundation after six rounds of unsuccessful negotiations. A meeting planned for last Friday was postponed until Thursday. The works council said an agreement remained a long way off and would wait about two weeks before turning to an arbitration court to determine the compensation workers are entitled to.

Vegetable growers’ supply arrangements, meanwhile, were secured on Friday, according to ORF. Several Austrian companies, including Schneiders Gemüseland and Waldland, are expanding processing, and Iglo and Schneiders Gemüseland have announced a partnership in frozen vegetables from spring 2027.