EMPLOYEES of the Bratislava-based carmaker Volkswagen Slovakia may announce a strike alert soon, according to the head of the company’s trade unions, Zoroslav Smolinský.
“We are preparing the ground for various coercive actions,” Smolinský said, as quoted by the SITA newswire, adding that currently it is about 70 percent certain that the employees will begin the strike alert. “We must consider every alternative, but we do not refuse negotiations.”
The trade unions object to a proposal that would decrease salaries by 4 percent and shorten working hours. The representatives of Volkswagen had allegedly explained that this proposal stems from the need to modernise the facility’s production lines. The trade unions, on the other hand, are asking for a 6-percent salary increase, as reported by SITA. The current average monthly wage in the plant stands at €1,400.
The trade unions halted negotiations over the collective agreements with management on March 14, since management did not accept any proposal by the unions, Smolinský told SITA.
Volkswagen representatives have not commented on the dispute, saying that negotiations are still underway.
Source: SITA
Compiled by Radka Minarechová from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
