“Trade Unions Threaten Strike Over Government’s Budgetary Consolidation Plan”

The trade unions are threatening the government with a strike with immediate effect because of the budgetary consolidation plan. This was announced by the President of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Bohemia and Moravia (ČMKOS), Josef Středula, at the end of the meeting held on Monday morning. Representatives of the government, trade unions and employers are due to discuss during the day the package of measures announced by the government last Thursday, which aims to reduce the public finance deficit by tens of billions of crowns in the coming years.

After describing the situation as “serious” and the package of measures as “unfair distortion”, Josef Středula criticized the government led by the conservative Petr Fiala for not carrying out serious social dialogue with the unions. Trade unionists plan to present the effects of the various austerity measures at a press conference to be held on Tuesday morning. Josef Středula called on independent trade union organizations to show solidarity with ČMKOS.