Prague, Aug 21 (CTK) – Czech teachers’ salaries will rise faster than those of the rest of the civil service staff, the government and trade unions agreed on Monday, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) has told journalists.
However, they did not agree on the concrete sum, Sobotka said.
The next talks will take place in September.
The trade unions are demanding a 15 percent pay rise for teachers and 10 percent for the rest as of November.
A number of alternatives are being discussed.
“The agreement on the rise in the salaries is a necessary part of the agreement on the whole budget,” Sobotka said.
The impact on the budget, specifically its expenditures, is crucial for the pay rise, he added.
The Labour and Social Affairs Ministry calculated three alternatives of the pay rise, by 6 percent for all, by 12 percent for teachers and 8 percent for the rest and the one proposed by the trade unions.
Finance Minister Ivan Pilny (ANO) is to present a budget bill for next year by the end of August.
He has said he will not cross the deficit of 50 billion crowns.
Sobotka said the sources had to be found within the budget.
The coalition leaders are to agree on the budget form and pay rise at their meeting on September 4.
Then the talks with the trade unions will resume.
Sobotka and the Social Democrats support the trade unions’ idea, while the other two coalition parties, ANO and Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), have different plans.
“We have to agree with the coalition parties. There should a consensus cutting across the coalition government,” Sobotka said.
