Transport unions declared a strike alert in Prague

Prague – Transport unions declared a strike alert because of low salaries of bus drivers. If the conditions governing chauffeurs regular buses do not improve, the unions are willing to come up with a sharper form of protest, including strikes. At a press conference, said the chairman of the Trade Union of Transport (OSD) Lobos Pomajbík. The unions pointed out that the county contract to operate bus routes winning companies that reduce the cost of transport to the detriment of wages drivers.

“The bus driver wearing refelctive coverall is spent at work more than 300 hours per month at 72-82 crowns gross per hour,” said Pomajbík. More money received by him as well as temporary workers in the supermarket when unloaded fruit in the supermarket shelves. The number of overtime hours that drivers with reflective clothing are used, among other things, because the chauffeurs market shortage, may involve an increased risk of accidents, he added.

Willingness to act today in a statement said the South Moravian Governor and Chairman of the Board of the Association of Regions Michal Hayek. The issue of salaries is willing to tackle as soon as he returns from a working visit to China, which is part of the delegation led by Prime Minister Bohuslav Socotra. “I believe in an agreement which will help calm the situation in the future of angry drivers. At the same time must be justifiable to taxpayers and the Finance Ministry, which controls the regional economy,” said Hacek. He also said that the problem also seek the opinion of the Office for the Protection of Competition, which supervises over public procurement.

To support the claims of drivers on the minimum wage in regional tenders for the operation of bus line skates unions are willing to take advantage of stronger forms of protest. According Pomajbík may be for example a local strike, but which is threatening to escalate into a wider form of protest. He said the unions would nevyhlašovaly strike alert, if you are not sure that they are able to accede to these actions vigorously. But he also said that the OSD prefers to deal with the situation by agreement.

The problem according to the trade unions is the fact that the contracts for each connection are concluded for a period of five or ten years. The price of labor is as chauffeurs and pinned her there is no space in this period increased. Although it is not possible at such a long time to fix the price of fuel or technology now fix rates of wages can be, added the chairman of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (CMKOS), Josef Středula. In addition, the amount of those wages is not enough to make a decent chauffeur could make a living, he added.

The issue of wages but the bus drivers and truck drivers CMKOS intends to open on December tripartite negotiations, said Středula. On this date willingness to monitor drivers’ strike and Jawbone and Liberec trade unionists that wave of protests this fall began. “We want to work with data and know how many people will (strike) from Moravia, much of it and for this region,” said the president in mid-November Jawbone basic trade union bus line George kitchenette.

Drivers launched a wave of protests called Jawbone invitation that he wanted to trade unionists from Jawbone and Nisei and Liberec point to the low salaries of bus drivers on routes ordered the county. Who in support of their demands wear safety vest like chauffeurs thousands across the country; the latest in a series of protests was the Wednesday performance drivers with regular services in region.

The tenders would be one of the key conditions of compliance with the minimum wage for drivers. This corresponds to 100 crowns per hour. Drivers are entitled to such conditions in the public procurement has recently been supported by the Prime Minister Bohuslav Socotra.