More than 2,000 workers mobilized in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, this Wednesday to express their opposition to their government’s plans for pension reform to raise the retirement age to 68.
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The protests were encouraged by unions in response to Finance Minister Sbynek Stanjura’s plans to raise the retirement age from 65 to 68, four years more than proposed in the French reform, and the possible introduction of a retirement age ceiling due to pension increases of inflation.
In this context, unions have put forward six demands, including early retirement for demanding jobs, wage increases for public and private sector workers in specialized jobs and tax reform.
Pomalu jdeme na Letnou a už 11 vyrazíme v průvodu s kolegy z @OS_KOVO a dalších odborových svazů @odbory What @strakovka kde ve 12hod začíná demonstrate proti zvyšování věku odchodu do penze✊ pic.twitter.com/ZaHJ7GFzOu
— Josef Středula (@JStredula)
March 29, 2023
According to the workers, the current centre-right Czech government is ignoring social dialogue, so they hope the demonstrations will force them to refrain from implementing the reform.
The chairman of the Bohemian-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, Josef Stredula, trusted that “this protest and the citizens’ reactions and the polls conducted on this issue will be some of the reasons that old age will not raise pensions”.
He added: “I would be very happy if such protests did not take place. I want these things to be resolved through debate. If we don’t do that, the problem will only get worse.”
In view of the situation, the unions are seeking negotiations with the government, otherwise they are threatening major protests in the country.