Czech Republic
State sector workers get collective agreement
At the end of December unions signed an historic first collective agreement with the government covering around 69000 state employees. The agreement establishes many existing working and employment conditions and is aimed specifically at improving social conditions and health and safety at work. It also provides for the possibility of discussions on indexation of civil service pay scales for the following year. The agreement runs for the calendar year 2016 and was negotiated by the state sector, health, defence and education unions. [Read more at > statorg (CZ)->http://statorg.cmkos.cz/] [And
Pay rise for public sector as pay campaign launched
Wages in the public sector will increase by 3% in November with a further 2% for civil servants at the beginning of next year. The confirmation of the pay rise comes at a time when the CMKOS trade union confederation is launching a major campaign to win pay increases across the economy. Read more at > OSSOO (CZ) And at > Prague Monitor (EN) And at > CMKOS (CZ)
Confederation to coordinate action on low pay
The member organisations of the CMKOS trade union confederation aim to work together in a campaign to highlight the problem of low pay in the country. CMKOS has called a rally on 16 September in Prague that will be a key step towards coordinated action in 2016. An important aim will be to underline the impact of low wages not just on workers but also to highlight the negative impact on the economy and on productivity. Read more at > CMKOS (CZ)
Unions negotiate pay increases for all public service workers
Following negotiations with the new government public service unions have negotiated increased salaries and wages for all public service employees. Wage rates increased for all employees either by 3.5% from November 2014 or by 5% from 1 January 2015. Unions report this as a successful outcome to their bargaining and plan to negotiate to rectify the cuts imposed by the previous government, which had a negative impact not just on staff but on citizens dependent on public services.
Pay rise for firefighters
CZ firefightersOn 10 April, the Interior Minister, Milan Chovanec announced that 6500 uniformed firefighters would benefit from a revised assessment of occupational risk and will be entitled to the highest category of special supplementary danger money. This will mean an increase of CZK 1000 CZK (€36) per month in salaries including bonuses for emergency service. The Minister of the Interior also announced a CZK 39 million (€1.4m) increase in the fire service budget. Read more at > OSH (CZ)
Summer of protest?
The CMKOS trade union confederation is considering what kinds of protest action to organise over the summer in response to the government's continuing austerity measures and labour market reforms. The Confederation organised a massive demonstration last spring and this year it will coordinate a series of protests including possible strike action. More information is expected from 14 May and after the CMKOS assembly on 22 May. Read more at > Ceske Noviny news website (EN)
Anti-austerity protests continue
Public service unions continue to be involved in the anti-austerity protests coordinated by the CMKOS trade union confederation. A week of action beginning 14 May will be followed by a another national demonstration on 22 May. The week of action will involve protestors occupying ministries as well as unions providing information to the public on the implication of the cuts to services. CMKOS will also consider the possibility of calling for a general strike. [Read more at > Czech news webstie (EN)->http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/zpravy/czech-unionists-activists-to-march-through-prague-on-may
Further protests for follow massive demonstration
After the massive anti-austerity demonstration on 21 April, trade unions are planning further protests around the country in co-operation with a range of social and civil society organisations. Read more at > CMKOS (EN) And at > Czech news website (EN)
Confederation calls national protest against austerity measures
The CMKOZ trade union confederation is organising a national demonstration on 21 April in protest at government austerity measures that include cuts to pensions, public sector jobs and higher VAT. The confederation is working to get broad support for the demonstration from pensioners, patients, the unemployment and civil society. The protest will be calling for the prime minister and government to resign. Read more at > CMKOS’s special website (CZ) And at > news website (EN)
Unions mobilise against pension and other reforms
On 21 May thousands of people took part in a national demonstration against government reforms organised by trade unions and other groups campaigning on social issues. Changes to the labour code, privatisation and pension reform are among the main issues of concern for the trade unions. The government has already set in motion a mechanism to automatically increase retirement age as life expectancy increases. The other main pension change will is aimed at getting workers to opt out of the state scheme and take out personal private pensions. Read more at > EPSU (EN)
Thousands demonstrate over labour reforms and cuts to pensions
Around 50,000 people joined a demonstration in Prague on 21 May organized by the CMKOS confederation in protest at government changes to the labour code and reforms to pensions and the health system. The protest also focused on the government’s failure to participate in a proper process of social dialogue over the reform plans. Read more at > EPSU (EN)
Unions organise protest against social reforms
Trade unions walked out of talks with the government over social reforms in protest at what they regard as the failure of the government to enter into meaningful discussions. The unions are planning a national demonstration on 21 May and are running a campaign, "Open your eyes", to explain to people the implications of the government's proposals. Read more at > Czech news site (EN)
Doctors' win large pay increases after threat to resign
Doctors are to get pay rises worth between 5000 (€206) and 8000 crowns (€330) as part of a deal that will their salaries increase to around 1.5 times the national average salary by 2013. A major national campaign had seen around 3800 hospital doctors threaten to resign on 1 March if the government didn’t make any concessions on pay. Read more at > Ceske Noviny news website (EN)
Health union demands talks with government
The TUHSSC health union has called on the government to re-open social dialogue in order to tackle the crisis facing the health service. Hospitals are facing in funding and plans to close thousands of beds while doctors have threatened mass resignations if nothing is done to improve the low levels of pay in the sector. The government is drawing up proposals that include a pay increase for doctors. [Read more at > EPSU (EN)->http://www.epsu.org/a/7309] [Read more at > Ceske Noviny news website (en)->http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/zpravy/czech-health-minister-preparing-increase-in-doctors-pay