Trade Unions Declare Strike Alert Over Government's Fiscal Consolidation Package

Chairman of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (CMKOS) Josef Stredula emerged from a meeting of trade union leaders announcing that they decided to declare a strike alert with immediate effect over the government's austerity package unveiled last week.

• Stredula accused the government of failing to conduct an adequate dialogue with the unions while drafting austerity measures. As a reminder, the details of the reforms were negotiated by coalition leaders in a series of closed-door meetings.
• Trade unions have argued that measures announced by the government will disproportionately affect employees, their families and pensioners and are planning to present more detailed calculations at a presser tomorrow morning.
• Prime Minister Petr Fiala rejected these accusations in an interview on Sunday, insisting that the government held talks with the unions. Fiala added that the government will not bow under pressure.
• Stredula described the strike alert as the mildest means in the unions' repertoire but also emphasised that the previous one was announced more than ten years ago. The CMKOS last declared a strike alert in 2008 for the first time since its establishment.
• A tripartite committee consisting of representatives of the government, employers and trade unions will meet this evening to discuss the details of the fiscal consolidation package.