Teachers’ unions announce strike for June 9

Czech teachers' unions have called a one-day strike for June 9 in pursuit of higher wages for teachers as well as to protest the government's current pay offer. A representative said that teachers’ wages had fallen in real terms by 5.2 percent in 2008. According to the unions, more than half of the country's 200,000 teachers are in favour of striking, and are ready to close down nursery, primary and secondary schools. The government has offered teachers an extra 500 million crowns this year (around 31 million US dollars) and 4 billion the next. But the unions have demanded 3 billion this year with pay raises for support staff as well as teachers.