Workers had enough - Slovak unions fighting for pay increase for public service workers – protests likely in October

Slovak workers are angry. They are not benefitting from the current economic growth. Multinationals do not share with workers their productivity increases. The President of the Slovak Confederation KOZ spoke with EPSU General Secretary on the economic situation, unemployment, social dialogue and union actions. With workers anger raising, the Slovak unions demand an increase of the minimum wage. An increase of more than 10% is needed as a step towards ensuring that minimum wages are at least 60% of average wage. Below that level workers are deemed to receive low pay and are in risk of poverty according to European standards. The Slovak workers and unions further seek a fair share of the productivity increases.

Workers in the public services have seen wage freezes for many years in Slovakia. The wage freeze goes in a particular way that we have also seen in other countries. The salary grid sees wages starting at levels below the minimum wage. The lowest 6 levels with a large number of workers and including with higher education are all below the minimum wage. As the employer is obliged to pay workers the minimum wage, it does so through bonuses. The result is though that many workers are stuck on the minimum wage level. Public service workers want a new pay table that starts at the level of the minimum wage. With the government reluctant, the unions decided to start organizing actions which will culminate in demonstrations in October. Strikes are not excluded as they told EPSU. The EPSU General Secretary met with several unions to consider the work of EPSU, the pay rise campaign and how best to assist in organizing workers and strengthening involvement in the union work. The meetings took place 24 August 2017, Bratislava.

For an article in Slovak: https://www.dennikpraca.sk/2017/08/28/zamestnanci-verejnej-spravy-pripr…

  • Caption With President Maria Mayerova, Sloves KOZ Bratislava 24.08.2017 - Pay rise campaign
  • With Anton Szalay Slovak health and social service workers Bratislava 24.08.2017 - Pay rise
Slovak Republic