According to the new Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Marian Jurečka (KDU-ČSL), the new government will respect November’s decision of the former government to approve an increase in the minimum wage for teachers from CZK 15 200 to CZK 16 200.
The former government had approved an amendment based on which state and public service workers should receive a CZK 1,400 raise from January 1st. Over 652,000 people worked in the public sector in the first half of the year. One thousand crowns would be in the earnings base and 400 crowns in bonuses if the amendment is enforced.
There will be no change to this 3.5 percent increase in teachers’ salaries. “We have declared that teachers are among our priorities, and we do not want to somehow revoke that,” Jurečka reassured.
On the other hand, the new government is going to reconsider this amendment regarding other public workers, such as police officers, firefighters, and caregivers. But so far, it is not clear if it will give them a raise at all.
“We will discuss the issue this week at a meeting of all coalition members. But no later than next week, on Wednesday, December 22, when the government will meet, “Jurečka commented.
The Finance Minister, Zbyněk Stanjura (ODS), stated last month that the new government would abolish the decree of Andrej Babiš’s (ANO) cabinet on an across-the-board salary increase of CZK 1,400 per month for public administration employees. He believes that it is unfair to give all employees the same wage increase.
According to pre-election statements made by the new Finance Minister, Zbyněk Stanjura, an across-the-board increase would demotivate employees to perform better in their jobs.
“If the government gives everyone the same raise, I think we will cancel the decree because it is not fair. In every company or office, there are great, average, and other employees, and the proposal does not distinguish between them. The problem is not the amount, but the principle, “Stanjura had previously commented. However, when he was asked this week whether his position is still valid and what the following actions would be for the decree in question, the Finance minister did not respond.