Several times more work and inflation approaching 13 percent. The trade unionists in the offices have run out of patience. They are asking for a wage increase, otherwise they are in danger of being on strike. D-Day is to be Wednesday and a meeting with Minister Marián Jurečka (KDU-ČSL).
According to Josef Středula, chairman of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, this is not just verbal pressure. How real is the strike at the moment? “I would not try to find out at all. I would look for a reason and reasons why this happened at all. I experienced a forty thousand demonstration of state employees in Palach Square, so I don’t know if the government needs to experience this at the moment, “he says in an interview with SZ Byznys before the meeting.
A union of state bodies and organizations is threatening a strike. They want to declare a strike emergency from the first of May. Why do you think it came all the way here?
That is a good question, but that history is written far longer than the history of this government. It is necessary to realize what has changed over time at the employment offices since Minister Drábek, when a significant part of the agenda was transferred to them. At the time of the covid, Antivirus joined in, so they were really busy, and those who say they were at home may be the pious wishes of those critics, but the reality was completely different.
Thanks to increased inflation, the government will have approximately plus 70 billion crowns. So there is no reason for employees to be the only ones bouncing inflation.
Josef Středula, head of the CMKOS
In addition, they dealt with benefits for those who got into trouble as clients of Bohemia Energy and others, and a decision was made in December that they were not even entitled to the crown, even though inflation was already six percent at the time. It’s thirteen now. So this is a completely logical reaction, and if Minister Jurečka and the government want to solve the situation, they really have to deal with it, no words will help here.
So governments haven’t listened yet?
They didn’t listen and, moreover, joined the voices saying that they were “just” officials, “lap sleeves.” But the moment they froze the salaries of labor offices, a month later, politicians increased their income by six percent from a hundred thousand base and higher, but they gave nothing to employees. At the same time, all responsibilities related to the refugee crisis have been transferred to the labor offices, and there is again no interest on the part of the government in resolving the situation.
Is there really a strike in the game, or is it just sharp verbal pressure?
I wouldn’t try to find out at all. I would look for a reason and reasons why this happened at all. I have experienced a 40,000 demonstration by state employees in Palach Square, so I do not know if the government needs to experience this at the moment. I would like to point out that they are not only employees of labor offices, they are also other employees, such as ministries, civilian employees at the fire brigade, in education, cooks, they are armourers at the army who are not uniformed, etc.
Are other unions joining them?
Yes, definitely. For example, trade unions operating in the culture clearly.
However, as Viktor Najmon, Director General of the Labor Office, said in an interview with SZ Business a few days ago, the employees of the Labor Offices received extraordinary remuneration for this quarter, ie the state is trying to compensate them for the onslaught of work. It is not enough?
And why don’t they put it in their basic salary? After all, inflation affects everyone and it is not a question of rewards. It is only instead of a systemic measure that we take another non-systemic step.
Minister of Labor Jureček has repeatedly said that there is no room for raising wages now, also given the state of public finances. Where do you think it could cost to raise that money for wage growth?
First of all, this government, especially the ODS, is responsible for the huge systemic decline in public funds, because they supported the abolition of the super-gross wage together with the YES and SPD movements. Then there are the tax changes that have been implemented. And as for whether the government has the funds, it is clear that on the revenue side, precisely due to increased inflation, the government will have about plus 70 billion crowns. So from this point of view, I don’t think there’s a reason for employees to be the only ones bouncing inflation.
