Unions continue protests against government policy

On 26 September 2003, the Confederation of Trade Unions of the Slovak Republic (KOZ SR) called a one-hour nationwide strike which affected a number of sectors. This was the latest in a series of actions organised by unions in protest at government policy.

During 2003, Slovak trade unions have been unusually active in terms of organising industrial action and other forms of protest, often expressing dissatisfaction with the policy of the centre-right government which came to office in October 2002 (SK0212101N). They have organised: a symbolic blockade of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and the Family; a three-day national rail strike (SK0306101F); a blockade of borders and motorways; and a 12-hour warning strike by teachers in June, which closed the majority of state schools. At a meeting in September, the central strike committee of the Confederation of Trade Unions of the Slovak Republic (Konfederácia odborových zvazov Slovenskej republiky,KOZ SR) emphasised the following four main demands, aimed at easing the current difficult social and employment situation:

• an increase in the monthly minimum wage to SKK 6,760 (the trade unions demand further that the minimum wage be increased to 60% of the average wage by 2005) (SK0312101N);

• better security for older people and a more gradual increase in the pensionable age;

• stabilisation of tax levels and other contributions, and VAT reductions on all basic foodstuffs, energy, medicine and books; and

• maintenance of public sector wage rates.

KOZ SR threatened major protests if no action on these issues was agreed at an extraordinary meeting of the Tripartite Economic and Social Concertation Council (Rada hospodárskej a sociálnej dohody,RHSD) (SK0307102F). When the government refused to budge - except on the public wages issue - the KOZ SR central strike committee called a nationwide one-hour warning strike on 26 September 2003, between 08.00 and 09.00, as well as organising a protest demonstration in Bratislava.

Many employers' organisations questioned the strike's legality, since it did not arise from a dispute about collective agreements. The KOZ SR central strike committee defended the strikes' legitimacy, arguing that such strike action was perfectly in keeping with theUnited Nations International Covenant for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and theCouncil of Europe'sEuropean Social Charter. The right to strike is also one of the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution of the Slovak Republic (SK0211103F). Similar arguments were used by the trade unions during the rail strike in January 2003, which was halted when railway management took the case to court. However, seven months later a higher court decided that the strike had not been illegal.

The railway workers were also involved in the September strike, together with workers in educational institutions, healthcare, construction, mining, energy, metalworking and other sectors. The employees ofVolkswagen's Slovakian subsidiary took part in such strike action for the first time. Their participation was symbolic, halting production for 15 minutes. Postal workers also engaged in symbolic action, attaching labels to items of post which expressed their support for the strike. Public transport drivers in Bratislava refused to participate in the strike. This was particularly disappointing, stated the KOZ SR president, Ivan Saktor, because a transport strike in the capital would really have hammered home the trade unions' message.

The overall view was that the strike action did not have a major impact on the public: for example, out of 161 railway stations only 22 participated. Public transport workers joined the strike in only one town. Employees at airports and large companies - such asSlovnaft-MOL and theSlovak Gas Company in Bratislava - did not join the strike at all. Workers at theUS Steel and Chemical company in Kosice gave only moral support. Nevertheless, 60% to 70% of educational establishments joined the one-hour strike and thus shortened the school day. Approximately 70,000 trade union members in 260 industrial companies stopped work for one hour.

The president of KOZ SR proclaimed the strike a major success, while the vice president, Eugen Skultéty, said'the strike fulfilled our expectations and even surpassed them'. However, according to Martin Danko, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and the Family,'the strike was unsuccessful and did not influence us'. Darina Malová, a political analyst, concurred:'the strike did not have much impact. For this reason it was not a success for the trade unions.' As the government did not accept the trade unions' demands, the latter announced further action, including a petition calling for a referendum on the last parliamentary elections and a change of the present government.