Polish Public Servants Go On Strike Over Pay Hike Demands

January 29, 2008 2:45 p.m. EST

Warsaw, Poland (AHN) - Polish public servants went on a strike beginning Monday to push for a pay increase. Among those who joined the job walk-offs were doctors, nurses, miners, teachers and customs officials.

The tutors are asking for a 50 percent salary hike and have threatened to expand the job walk-off into a national strike if the government fails to meet their demand by the end of February.

The health workers' strike affected 18 hospitals, while doctors and nurses negotiate with hospital heads for a wage adjustment.

Meanwhile, the custom officers strike resulted to long lines at border checkpoints as the border collection agents insisted on a $613 (1,500 zloty) salary increase and more retirement privileges. Affected badly by the custom officers' strike were lorry drivers who have to sleep inside their trucks, usually without heat, good food or sanitation. In protest, the drivers threatened to set up blockades on the country's borders, said Boleslaw Milewski, head of the Polish road Transport Workers' Union.

Poland's law implementers and interpreters are neither happy with their financial situation. The police are not content with their $212.40 (520 zloty) monthly wage, while an earlier promise by the Polish parliament to raise prosecutor and judges salaries by 10 percent was withdrawn.

Rail workers have also indicated industrial unrest, demanding that their monthly pay slips be increased to $2,166 (3,100 zloty).