Letter of protest to the proposed attacks to Czech public services

(13 September) Here you can read the letter sent to the Czech Government to protest against the attacks on public services workers and collective bargaining.
Also you will find attached the letter sent by our affiliate, the Trade Union of the Health Service and Social Care of the Czech Republic asking for solidarity.

Dear Mr Jaromír Drábek,

We have been informed by our member the Trade Union of the Health Service and Social Care of the Czech Republic of the plans of the Czech Government.

The plans of the recently elected Government mean drastic pay cuts for workers in the public sector; EPSU condemns such attacks against public sector workers.

The proposed cuts will have terrible effects: Public services workers have been paid according to pay-scales containing 16 grades according to qualifications and 12 steps according to the length of professional career. According to the new suggestion of the Government the 12 steps should be abolished and the mandatory pay should only be connected with the level of qualifications, which might be complemented with (non-mandatory) extra bonuses and premiums. The basic rates should at the same time be cut by at least 10 per cent. The final result is that experienced workers with tens of years of professional career would get paid at the same level as young workers just starting their professional lives. They would lose as much as 40 per cent of their present-day wages.

Good public services are essential in these times of crises to contribute to social cohesion and the fulfillment of Fundamental Rights. Thousands of Civil workers, healthcare workers, workers in social care, policemen, firemen, teachers and other workers in education and training, workers in culture and protection of the environment, civilian workers in the army and other categories and groups of workers in public services will be affected by the proposed plans. These attacks are totally unacceptable.

Also the intended pay cuts require changes in the Labour Code. We condemn the breakup of established systems of bargaining and especially when not agreed with the trade unions since it takes us away from the Social Europe that is integral part of the European Union.

We ask the Czech government to reconsider your plans and to engage in meaningful negotiations with trade unions.

We support the mobilization organized by the Czech trade unions on September 21. The European trade union movement will express its solidarity with the Czech public sector workers also at the Euro demonstration on September 29 in Brussels.

Carola Fischbach-Pyttel
EPSU General Secretary