Live: The gathering of trade unions against poverty has started, thousands of trade unionists have arrived
Update: 05/09/2022 12:21
Issued by: 05/09/2022, 11:25
Prague – A meeting of trade unions against poverty began in Prague. A thousand trade unionists from the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS) from all over the country arrived at the Karlín Forum in Prague. They want to publish their demands and proposals to mitigate the effects of rising prices and the energy crisis on employees and their families. ČMKOS is the largest trade union headquarters in the country. It covers 31 unions with about 270,000 members. The gathering has traditionally been held every September since 2015. In the past two years, it was not held due to the epidemic.
The event started after 11:00 with a light and laser show with a dance performance. The hall was filled with trade unionists. According to the vice president of the central office, Radka Sokolová, they arrived to give their opinion on the events in the Czech Republic. Union members describe their event as a “demonstration meeting”. In previous years, it was used to prepare for salary increase negotiations. They had the slogan “End of cheap labor.” Now leaders point to high inflation and a drop in real incomes. They criticize the government and its actions.
Public sector unions are demanding a salary increase this year due to rising prices. In the end, they made an agreement with the cabinet that only those earnings that failed in January will be adjusted from September. The frozen salary scales of non-pedagogical workers, culture employees and officials have now increased by ten percent. Starting in January, the salary base should then be adjusted by ten percent for police officers and firefighters. This is another profession. Leaders have not yet specified what wage growth they will request for company employees.
According to the Ministry of Finance, average inflation should reach 16.2 percent this year. Next year it could be 8.8 percent. The unemployment rate should remain low. The sum for salaries and wages should rise by 7.9 percent next year compared to this year.