June 16: A lovely day for a strike

By Cat Contiguglia and Klára Jiřičná

Staff Writers

One might not have guessed it from the smiling faces on bike-riding commuters June 16, but a transport strike was under way, and the corresponding demonstration disrupted movement throughout the city, resulting in losses of tens of millions of crowns, according to state-owned train companies.

Prague residents could be seen walking, biking and hitching rides in cars and on motorcycles during the early morning commuting hours. On the day of the strike organized by the Coalition of Transport Unions (KDOS), only about one-third of trams were running in the capital and one-fifth of buses.

All 120 freight trains and 7,000 passenger train connections were halted, and state-owned Czech Railways (ČD) said its losses from the disruption were close to 70 million Kč. ČD Cargo, the freight rail subsidiary of ČD, estimated losses of 57 million Kč.

The protest, which started with around 300 people in the morning, ended at the Finance Ministry with more than 2,000 demonstrators with placards protesting government cuts.

"I can see wide support from the public and growing solidarity among people, and growing opposition against the government," said Ondřej Lánský, a protester and spokesman for ProAlt, a civil society group that has organized protests in recent months. "The support of the opposition is broad, and the unions are key. Even though the Czech media minimizes their influence, the influence [of the trade unions] has grown in the past few months."

The strike and protests were in opposition to government reforms in education and health care and, perhaps most controversial, a pension reform plan that would increase the retirement age and unify the value-added tax at 17.5 percent on all items, including most foods and medicines.

"Those people who fought for eight working hours, equal education and free health access, they must be turning in their graves right now," said Jakub, a protester and a recent university graduate still looking for a job. "It frightens me, the reforms planning to increase the retirement age, when Health Minister Leoš Heger then says that for an artificial joint you will pay 100,000 Kč. ... What kind of message is this for those who have no money? That they will remain half-crippled for the rest of their lives?"

Protesters also expressed anger at the growing number of scandals in the coalition, including misspending and misconduct by politicians from all the coalition parties.

The parade of people mostly stuck to chanting and whistles, though some paused to shout insults at a smirking Deputy Education Minister Ladislav Bátora, who leaned out from a ministry window. Bátora is a highly criticized addition to the Education Ministry because of a past candidacy for the extreme right-wing Nationalist Party.

Protesters turned to throwing tomatoes and eggs at Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek, who insisted on meeting the crowd in front of the Finance Ministry.

Prime Minister Petr Nečas and President Václav Klaus condemned the transport strike, which had been pushed back three days because of a controversial last-minute Municipal Court ruling deeming the original strike illegal, outraging union leaders. Nečas said the government would continue with reforms but was willing renegotiate parts with union leaders.

"So far, the government's response, such as the court injunction, shows there will be a need for further dissent," Lánský said.

Unions have said they might stage more protests in September, when next year's budget details are released.

"I reckon most people in the government are detached from reality and the impact of each individual aspect of their political plans on the broader public. I fear it will require more intensive protests for the government to realize their impact," Lánský said.  

The writers can be reached at news@praguepost.com