Teacher unions turn to top court over strike restrictions

Teacher unions PSZ and PDSZ have turned to the Constitutional Court over restrictions on strikes.

In their appeal, the unions request that the court declare unconstitutional and annul a recently issued government decree defining mandatory public school services, they said in a joint statement.

The petitioners argue that the decree violates the principle of necessity and proportionality, as well as teachers’ right to strike, and that the government had overstepped its special powers by issuing the decree.

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They said the requirement in Hungary’s strike law on providing minimum services was already a restriction on the right to strike guaranteed by the constitution.

Having a decree define those minimum services before any talks take place “further restricts the right to strike”, the statement added.

If there is no difference between the minimum services provided during a strike and the services provided in an uninterrupted schedule, strikes are rendered meaningless, they argued.

PSZ and PDSZ said they were hopeful that the Constitutional Court would quickly annul the “unconstitutional” decree in question, enabling teachers to stage an effective work stoppage for higher wages and reduced burdens.

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