Public servants take to the streets

Oct 07, 2008
Talis Archdeacon in cooperation with BNS

The second protest in the series saw hundreds of police demanding higher wages (photo by Renate Kozane).

The majority of participants were teachers from Latvia's regional cities and towns. There were also representatives of the State Fire and Rescue Service and medics, State Environment Service among the participants.

Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia(LBAS) chairman Peteris Krigers addressed the participants of the picket, saying that more than 100 trade unions of other countries supported them and that the presence of so many protesters proved that they were not indifferent to the situation in Latvia.

LBAS has prepared a statement on the draft budget, saying that the trade union regards the government's work on the draft budget as unsatisfactory, underscoring that there was no true dialogue with social partners held and no detailed information on the planned revenues and expenses has been submitted until the last moment.

"This decision is significant not only for public sector employees, but also for thousands of workers in the private sector who will receive a slight raise of their monthly wages," said the statement.

Participants of the protest campaigns were carrying various posters, reading "Workers produce cream, others are taking it," "The frozen ones want to live," "Increase of wages should be at least 17 pct" and "Respect teachers! They were teaching you as well."

The trade unions also want the government to stake steps to clamp down on illegal employment and wages, to increase support to local businesses, creation of new jobs, especially in regions, and to cut bureaucracy, among other measures.

The demonstration marked the final protest in a series of three staged by public sector workers following a government announcement that it would be forced to freeze wages in 2009.

On Saturday, hundreds of police officers held a picket outside Parliament. Ono Sept. 26, approximately 1,500 medics, teachers and police picketed in the same location.

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