Saturday May 16, 05:04 PM
20,000 unionists rally in Prague against toppled govt
PRAGUE (AFP) - About 20,000 campaigners from several countries, most of them trades union activists, marched through Prague Saturday to protest the previous government's measures to tackle the economic crisis.
And one union leader warned that some employers would try to make ordinary workers carry the burden of the crisis.
The protest was part of a series of four rallies after Thursday's march in Madrid with 20,000 people and Friday's rally in Brussels with 40,000 protesters. Another rally was held in Berlin on Saturday.
Czech trades union leader Milan Stech said the centre-right government of Mirek Topolanek economic crisis had failed to appreciate the seriousness of the economic crisis before it was toppled by a parliamentary no-confidence vote.
"People now have to take loans instead of having higher wages," he told the rally.
And he warned that once the crisis was over, some employers would keep wages at the level to which they had slashed them during the global downturn.
"Some companies merely shift the burden of the crisis onto their staff. This is unacceptable and we have to reject it," he added.
A banner saying "Let's stop companies from abusing the crisis" flashed behind the stage as he spoke to a cheering crowd waving unions banners and umbrellas, as well as Czech, Slovak, Bulgarian, Slovenian and EU flags.
The rally was held a day after official data revealed that the Czech economy had contracted by 3.4 percent in the first quarter, the sharpest drop in growth since the Czech Republic emerged as an independent state in 1993.
The European economy contracted by a record 2.5 percent in the same period.
Teachers and members of the largest Czech trade union Kovo made up the largest part of the crowd.
But there were also large contingents from Germany and Slovenia, some clutching cans of beer, others blowing whistles.
"I disagree with steps taken by the previous government -- it wanted to restrict the activity of unions, reduce their strength," said one union member, Petr Knotek, told AFP.
Knotek, who works at the top Czech car maker Skoda Auto, a Volkswagen (Xetra: 766400 - news) unit, also condemned plans for a new labour code that would allow companies to sack staff without giving a reason.
"Today, we have an opportunity to make a statement on what is happening in this country," he told AFP. "Otherwise the Czechs are rather timid.
Topolanek's government was replaced by a temporary non-partisan one on May 8, which will lead the Czech Republic to early elections in October,
The crowd all but filled the square outside Prague castle for a second time in six weeks: a similar crowd gathered for the Barack Obama speech on April 5 in the same place.
|
|
|
Send Article by Email
Send Article by IM
Blog This with Y! 360
Printable View
