Minister Maláčová says Social Democrats insist on 6 percent public sector pay rise

The Social Democrats, the junior party in the coalition government, insist on 6 percent pay increases in the public sector from next year, the party’s minister of labour and social affairs, Jana Maláčová, said on a TV debate show on Sunday.

Ms. Maláčová said she appreciated a shift in the stance of government leaders ANO. The party previously proposed a 3.5 percent pay rise, whereas the Social Democrats originally demanded a CZK 3,000 monthly increase.

On Thursday ANO’s minister of finance, Alena Schillerová, said she did not rule out meeting the Social Democrats’ demand and said her officials would draft different suggestions.

Ms. Maláčová said the matter had to be resolved by the end of this month.

Elsewhere Ms. Schillerová said that the Czech state budget deficit for 2021 would be CZK 400 billion.