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Poland’s three major trade unions began a four-day demonstration in Warsaw on September 11 protesting at government austerity, reports the daily, adding that complying with union demands would ruin the nation’s economy.
Unions demand a U-turn on this year’s increase in the retirement age to 67, a rise in the number of workers entitled to extra pension benefits due to working in hazardous conditions, the abolishment of flexitime and an increase in the minimum wage to 50 percent of the average wage.
Rzeczpospolita estimates these changes would cost around 150 bn PLN (€36 bn) over seven years, plus extra incalculable costs related to increased unemployment and another wave of emigration.
The daily quotes chief economist of Invest-Bank Wiktor Wojciechowski, who claims that –
The trade unions would quickly cause a Greek-style scenario to unfold in Poland.
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