Roadblocks across the country – Union chief “trusts in agreement” with govt and employers

Budapest, December 15 (MTI) – Speaking ahead of a partial road-block demonstration on Monday, the Liga trade union umbrella organisation chief Istvan Gasko has told MTI he trusts an agreement with the government and employers can be reached.

Gasko added he hoped the strike would serve as a wake-up call to the government and demonstrate that there is broad support for the unions’ demands. On the side of employees, they must think about how its package of demands can be realised and to what extent.

If today’s demonstration does not achieve what its organisers set out to, there are two options going forward: to hold a demonstration or further partial road blockade or to hold a national strike.

Liga is holding partial road blockade at 62 points around the country between 7am and 4pm on Monday in protest against government measures which the unions say are disadvantageous to employees.

Gasko said the package of demands include “a sufficiently large wage settlement next year, a review of the labour code, an amendment to the strike law to include constitutional safeguards for strikers, retention of the early retirement scheme as well as no changes to the tax regime on fringe benefits.”

Police told MTI that demonstrations had begun in 43 locations across the country with the aim of slowing down traffic. The biggest traffic jam was located on the inlet to the M3 motorway while a section of the Buda embankment in the capital has been closed.

The communications department of the national police headquarters said that police were at the various scenes to aid the normal flow of traffic.