Some municipal workers to go on strike

MUNICIPALITY workers from trade unions PEO and DEOK will strike for four hours on Tuesday to protest against a further 12 per cent cut to state funding for 2014.

The work stoppage will take place between 8am and noon and it was decided that a protest would take place outside parliament between 9am and 11am during which the interior ministry’s budget will be discussed by the House finance committee.

“Local authorities will be forced to close departments or reduce certain services and will look to get rid of employees or cut provident fund and pension fun contributions as well as wages and other benefits,” a joint statement from the trade unions said.

Trade union SEK will not ask its members to take part in the strike.

“The current economic situation requires everyone to operate responsibly as its main aim is the preservation of jobs and maintaining social cohesion,” a SEK statement said.

For months, they added, they have made ​​several recommendations aimed at both limiting the further reduction of state funding for the municipalities and the optimal management of limited financial resources.