Unions on strike alert over demand for higher wages

Several unions in the public sector are on strike alert as of Thursday in support of their demand for higher wages. The Czech Confederation of Trade Unions is pushing for a pay rise to cover inflation which reached 16 percent in May, but the government has ruled that out as unacceptable in view of the state of public finances. The prime minister further argues that larger wage hikes across the board would only trigger an even steeper inflation spiral. Due to the soaring inflation real wages in the public sector have fallen by 8.4 percent in the last four months alone.