Czech Republic - Widespread support for public sector strike - December 21, 2010

The CMKOS trade union confederation has reported solid support for the strike in the public sector organised on 8 December. Nearly 150,000 employees of health services, education, state administration, cultural facilities and other public services took part directly. The action was in protest against government plans to cut the public sector pay bill by 10% in 2011. Other plans include public sector pay reform that could mean further cuts in pay, although implementation of the new scheme may not happen in 2011. CMKOS also reports a majority of public opinion in favour of the public sector strike action. Low pay in the health sector has also led to a campaign by doctors, with many resigning in protest at the government’s failure to maintain pay and funding (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 3 November 2010).

English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/393;    http://www.cmkos.cz/homepage/2791-3;    http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/zpravy/total-of-3513-czech-hospital-doctors ...

This article was published in the Collective Bargaining Newsletter. It aims to facilitate information exchange between trade unions and to support the work of ETUC's collective bargaining committee. For more information, please contact the editor Maarten van Klaveren, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) M.vanKlaveren@uva.nl. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net. © ETUI aisbl, Brussels 2011.