Plans to slash public sector wages see Czech strike call

The main Czech union confederation CMKOS, has called for strike action on 8 December against government plans to slash public sector wages.

With as many as 600,000 people likely to take part in the day-long action, it is expected to be one of the biggest protests since the fall of Czechoslovakia’s communist government in 1989.

Announcing the unions’ decision on 8 November, CMKOS president Jaroslav Zavadil said that the unions were still ready to negotiate with the government.The unions are protesting at the government’s plans to cut the public sector paybill by 10% from 1 January.

This is a central part of the policy of the centre-right government, led by Petr Necas, to reduce the deficit from the current 5.3% of GDP to 4.6% in 2011. Necas has said that the government is willing to discuss how the 10% pay reduction might be made, but not the overall amount.

There is particular concern about pay cuts in the health sector where some employees could lose up to 40% of pay.

The strike is also being backed by unions in the private sector. Josef Stredula, president of the metalworkers’ OS KOVO union called the government’s action a “diktat”.

The union representing the police and security forces, who by law are forbidden to strike, have promised to protest a week later on 15 December.