A demonstration in Bratislava on 12 October was the third major protest organised by trade unions against the government’s austerity measures. The government is planning cuts of € 986 million in 2011, € 154 million of which is due to come from public sector pay cuts. Unions are calling for measures to boost employment and protect social security and are still hoping for negotiations with the government but are also considering continuing their protests. One day before the Bratislava rally, Prime Minister Iveta Radičová met the union leaders and said they are entitled to express their stance through protests. However, she rejected the claim that her government is not interested in improving people’s living standards.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/384; http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/40471/3/unions_rally_against_austerity_package.html
M.vanKlaveren@uva.nl. You may find further information on the ETUI atwww.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net. © ETUI aisbl, Brussels 2009. For more information, please contact the editor Maarten van Klaveren, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS)