Czech transport workers strike

In June 2011, there was growing strike activity by trade unions in the Czech Republic. It started with a strike of public transport employees in Ostrava, asking for a higher wage increase than that offered by their employer. The action was limited to the Ostrava area, lasted six days and ended in a compromise. However, a one-day strike announced by transport trade unions had wider impact, stopping railway transport, paralysing public transport in Prague and affecting other cities.

Transport strike in Ostrava

On 1 June 2011, workers at the Ostrava Transport company (DPO) went on strike after social partners had failed to agree on a salary increase for employees during collective bargaining.

The unions were demanding a 5% increase, but management offered only 1.5% and guaranteed the same increase for 2012. The employers claimed they did not have the resources for a higher salary increase.

The strike, the biggest yet in the history of this company in the third largest city in the Czech Republic, meant public transport service providers were reduced to operating on a weekend timetable.

In the end both parties had to compromise, but the strike forced management to agree a wage increase for drivers and administrative staff of 4%, and for employees in blue-collar jobs of 5%. However, the increases will take effect in January 2012 rather than in 2011 as the employees had requested.

Unions protest against pension, health and tax reforms

Another strike organised by the Coalition of Transport Trade Unions (KDOS) stopped railway transport for the entire day. About 120 freight trains and 7,000 passenger trains were cancelled in a country where around half a million passengers normally travel by train each day.

The strike also hit Slovakia, where hundreds of railway connections were affected. Some trains ran on shortened routes and one Slovak carrier cancelled all trains. In Prague, where the underground operation was halted and most buses and trams were idle, the strike was also supported by a trade union march and rally, attended by an estimated 2,000 people.

The most heated moments of the peaceful protests happened in front of the Ministry of Finance (MF ČR) when Finance Minister Miroslav Kalousek came to talk to the crowd. Anti-riot police were needed to defuse the tension as marchers shouted at the minister and people pushed in the crowd.

Unions and government divided

The trade union protest did not ultimately lead to a total blockade of public transport, as trade unionists had planned, and did not cause significant traffic disruptions in Ostrava. Although a majority of the general public supported the protests, there was a low turnout from members of the public for the trade union protest rallies.

The protest by transport trade unions was also supported by the two largest union federations in the country, the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (ČMKOS) and the Association of Independent Trade Unions (ASO ČR), as well as some businessmen and the parliamentary opposition.

However the government, including Czech President Václav Klaus, was highly critical of the trade union action. The Prime Minister Petr Nečas announced the government’s intention to speed up work on a new bill amending the right to strike. Prime Minister Nečas argued that current legislation allows employees to strike too easily and he claims that citizens are insufficiently protected against the ‘violation of their rights’ during such protests.

Commentary

Trade unions remain dissatisfied with the results of the June action. In a statement released one week after the strike, they state that in their opinion the government did not respond adequately to discontent within society demonstrated by the transport strike. Therefore, the Coalition of Transport Trade Unions said it was ready to call a general strike together with other trade unions in the Czech Republic.

Jaroslav Hála, Research Institute for Labour and Social Affairs