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Unions strike across country

Demonstrators draw support and criticism on Prague streets

By Ondřej Bouda
and Kimberly Hiss
Staff Writers, The Prague Post
June 25th, 2008 issue

The trade union strike June 24 against government reforms involved an estimated 900,000 participants, including transportation and healthcare workers, and caused rallies and work stoppages nationwide.
Organized by the umbrella organization the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS), the general strike was held between 1 and 2 p.m. It was intended to criticize the government’s reform package, which resulted in inflation growth, and included controversial pension reforms that will increase the retirement age for public and private sector employees to 65.
“We hope to make the public aware of the next steps this government is preparing — chiefly in the area of public services — and the impact on the budgets of families,” said ČMKOS head Milan Štěch the morning of the strike. “We want the government to review the changes that are part of the so-called public budget reform. These changes significantly polarized society; rich people have higher net income and we are all paying higher excise taxes.”
In Prague, the metro continued service, but Prague Public Transit Company–run buses and trams — the drivers of which belong to different unions — stopped intermittently.
“I don’t know what’s going on,” a driver of tram No. 18 told a Post reporter during the strike. “So far, traffic is normal and I’ll keep driving as long as it keeps moving. If it stops, well, I’ll have to stop too.”
When trams did stop on Ječná street, anti-strike sentiments surfaced.
“You’re holding everyone hostage,” a passenger yelled. “Unions are dinosaurs of a bygone era. You should be working instead of striking. You’re all crazy.”
Nearby, union members with flags demonstrated along Legerova street.
“Given the political situation, I feel our only chance to make a difference is by force,” said agricultural union Chairman Bohumír Dufek during the march. “We are protesting because the government reduced taxes for some but others have been forgotten.”
The strike was joined by a reported 30,000 medical workers, who began their protest Tuesday morning, offering only emergency care. Protesting government health reforms, which include unpopular patient fees and a plan to transform health insurers and teaching hospitals into private corporations, many Prague hospitals held meetings and rallies.
— Naďa Černá contributed to this report.

The writers can be reached at news@praguepost.com


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