Labour ministry proposal would see 10% cut in state employees’ salaries

Labour Minister Platy Jaromír Drábek has put forward a proposal for amendment that would see salaries for state employees decreased by 10% across the board as of 2011. State employees’ unions are strongly opposed to the plan, which they say entails real wage losses of far more than 10% and a considerably lower part of their pay guarantees by law. Chairwoman of the primary union of state employees, Alena Vondrová, told reporters on Thursday that the ministry had broken the law by failing to negotiate the matter with its social partners, and said that workers should turn out in the streets en masse if the proposal is implemented.