Transport union leader warns of series of strikes

Transport unions could organise a series of strikes if tax changes reducing employee benefits are not modified by Parliament. The warning was issued by the head of the Czech Transport Workers’ Union Luboš Pomajbík on Sunday. Speaking on Czech TV, the union leader said he had the full support of other union members. The caretaker government late last week scrambled to try and avert a strike originally planned for Monday that threatened to see public transport grind to a halt; that strike has now been postponed until Thursday, leaving Parliament time to act. The right-of-centre Civic Democrats have come out strongly against the unions: Civic Democrat deputy leader Petr Bendl expressed confidence on Sunday that his party would not support any changes to the tax legislation in either the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate, where centre-right parties hold the majority.