(Extract)
- The CMKOS is aware - and agrees - with necessity to make changes (reforms) in a number of areas of economy and also in social sphere. However our view concerning the content and sequence of the steps (yes to stabilising finances, but no to reduction of income taxes of the well-off and thus to transfer of the decisive burden on citizens with average and lower incomes) essentially differs from the one of the Government.
- The CMKOS analyses have been a background for broader public discussion, for the opposition and also for certain deputies of the Governmental coalition in their refusal of certain steps of the Governmental reforms.
- The CMKOS analyses are an important source of information for media and non-governmental organisations dealing with protection of interests of various groups of citizens. The CMKOS is the most comprehensive critic of the reforms.
- The CMKOS is the only entity representing large groups of population that organised actions explaining threatening impacts and also protested against them.
- By joint efforts and under the CMKOS and other entities pressure:
- the fees in health care were by our actions for the time being moderated;
- the planned health care reform was against the original Governmental plan divided into two phases giving us the time to influence it;
- Prime Minister M. Topolánek stated that for the transformation of hospitals and their following privatisation the privatisation laws from the first half of the 90' would not be used;
- Minister of Labour and Social Affairs P. Nečas promised to propose a strengthening of the system of pension insurance or other solution as a compensation for abolition of pension categories and for assuring the possibility of early retirement for certain categories of employees although the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Parliament adopted on 25th June 2008, i.e. one day after our warning strike, a law negatively amending law on pension insurance.
- during gradual prolonging of the retirement age to 65 years the possibility of early retirement should also be prolonged, up to 5 years;
- slowing down of the intention to introduce partial opt-out from the obligatory pension insurance (originally in the scope of 8 per cent of the insurance rate reduced to approximately 3 per cent). The CMKOS, nevertheless, fully rejects this as it is convinced that the opt-out would put in danger the financing of pensions.
- The participation at the strike and support of its legitimacy by the public surprised a number of our opponents. The support of protest actions and positions of the CMKOS reaching among the public between 60 and 70 per cent - as found out in opinion polls by independent institutions - is a significant success and a strong argument for continuing the present approach of the CMKOS to the Governmental reforms.
It is obvious that although the Governmental politicians state that they are not influenced by positions of trade unions, with the municipal and Senate elections coming closer (October 2008) they will have to pay more and more attention to the public opinion. From this regard the strike was successful and its effects must be perceived from the point of view of the future.
The strike also strengthened the negotiating positions of individual branch unions and grassroots organisations for the future period.
We very much appreciate and thank for a great solidarity we received from our sister organisations who support us in our struggle.
7th July 2008