Police Trade Union Planning Rally Against Cuts

While negotiations between public sector trade unions and the government on austerity measures for 2015 are continuing today, the SPS's Zoran Petrovič said a rally will take place even if the government offers certain concessions.

The government was first speaking of trimming the public sector wage bill by EUR 127m cut and its last offer involved EUR 80m in cuts.

It is proposing an abolition of the seniority bonus, cuts to the years of service bonus, lower lunch allowance and the option of a voluntary shorter working week on top of existing austerity measures.

"This is about the measures already basically targeting a specific group. The government was deaf to all arguments and figures we presented. Once peaceful social dialogue fails, it is time to take to the street," Petrovič announced on Tuesday.

He said more about the date of the rally in Ljubljana will be known after talks with the PSS, which is waiting for the outcome of today's talks.

But the two unions announced they would meet on 20 November to harmonise their positions and demands, and decide on whether to form a strike committee.

Petrovič said on Tuesday that there had been enough saving at the expense of the police force and that the proposed measures are undermining the security system.

He pointed out that 192 officers already left the police force this year and that another 250 could retire in the coming months, while there has been virtually no new employment since 2010.

Interior Minister Vesna Györkös Žnidar responded to the announcement by saying a constructive meeting with the two unions had taken place on Monday and that the priority now was "tolerant and constructive dialogue".

Source: The Slovenia Times