Nečas to meet with unions over public sector salaries

Prime Minister Petr Nečas met with trade union representatives on Monday to discuss controversial changes to the Labour Code that would see public sector salaries cut by 10% across-the-board. The PM for his part told reports after the meeting that both sides would be looking for solutions acceptable to them both, though he did not expect complete accord. He also said that the proposal need not take effect as early as January 1, as he gave precedence to thorough rather than speedy negations. The Labour Ministry plan entails lower salaries for state employees in favour of greater employee bonuses based on individual performance. Unions say the plan is the strongest attack on workers’ rights in the last twenty years and have threatened to protest.