Trade union boss threatens with general strike over labour reform

The head of the Confederation of Czech Trade Unions, Jaroslav Zavadil, has threatened to call a general strike if the Czech government goes adopt controversial changes to the labour code. Mr Zavadil told reporters at a Social Democrat party conference in Olomouc on Saturday that a general strike was an option if the right-of-centre cabinet allows employers to fire employees without stating a reason, and to repeatedly give employees contracts for a definite period.

Some 40,000 trade union members took to the streets of Prague earlier this week in protest against planned 10-percent cuts in salaries of state employees.