27 May, 2008Unions fight against irreversible neo-liberal reforms of healthcare, public services and pensions in the Czech Republic by holding a series of protests and strikes.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Trade union members will be gathering in front of the prime minister's office in Prague on May 28, June 2 and June 9 to protest against the current neo-liberal reform agenda sweeping the Czech Republic. In particular the protest meetings will focus on the reform of the pension system, which include prolonging the pension age to 65 with no regard to the working condition of difference categories of workers. The meetings will also discuss the negative effects of current reforms and the decline of real salaries in the sphere of education and public sector.
The protest actions, organised by the trade union centre CMKOS and its industrial branches, including IMF-affiliated OS KOVO, follow on from a similar gathering of members on May 21 in protest of the proposed reforms of the healthcare system and the possible irreversible effects of privatisation.
The CMKOS Executive Board has also declared a one hour All Confederation Warning Strike that will take place on June 24.
The unions warn that the present Czech government, fully in accord with the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organisation policies, is for full liberalization, deregulation and ultimately privatization of the public service sector, giving preference of single market rules over social and trade union rights.
In a declaration calling for support for the action, the CMKOS Executive Board states, "Besides being responsible for reduction of real salaries in education, health service and public sphere the Government plans an attack on the Labour Code and trade union rights."
The IMF sent a letter expressing solidarity to its affiliate OS KOVO.