Workers' strike at Skoda Auto appears unavoidable

Car manufacturer Skoda Auto has withdrawn its offer of a salary increase of 13 percent for workers, ahead of a planned employee strike on Tuesday. The offer was originally rejected by workers' representatives pushing for a rise in wages that would be pegged to inflation and company profits. Skoda has now returned to an earlier proposal offering a 7.5 percent rise next year and an additional 3 percent the year after that. With the two sides failing to reach a deal, the strike now appears unavoidable. 26,000 people are employed at Skoda Auto.