In a historic display of collective dissent, the Czech Republic witnessed its largest school protest and strike since 1989 on Monday, with reports from unions estimating the participation of up to a million company employees. Around 70 percent of primary, middle, and kindergarten students joined the all-day warning strike, leading to the closure of some schools, while others operated under limited conditions.

The strike garnered support from a diverse range of professionals, including healthcare workers, civil servants in labor offices, employees of the Czech Social Security Administration, and workers in large industrial companies. Union reports indicated the involvement of hundreds of companies, with the total number of strikers potentially reaching one million.

Josef Středula, Chairman of the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions, emphasized the warning nature of the strike, stating, “We warned that if things do not move and the government does not start addressing our demands, the situation will radicalize.”

In anticipation of the strike, Education Minister Mikuláš Bek (STAN) issued an apology in an open letter to parents, expressing regret that they and their children had become unintentional participants in the ongoing dispute between the government, unions, and strikers.

A flash survey conducted by the STEM/MARK agency for Czech Television revealed that 64 percent of people support the protests and strikes. However, only a fifth of respondents expected the strike to compel the government to make concessions.

The company strike, lasting for an hour between 12 and 1 pm, involved various sectors, including large industrial companies. Petr Slanina, head of the unionists of Ostrava’s Liberty, stated, “We will shut down the aggregates for an hour,” with up to 2,000 employees participating. In Škoda Auto in Mladá Boleslav, the protest extended for two hours, with union leader Jaroslav Povšík noting that around 8,000 people were expected to take part. Symbolic support for the protests was also evident in places where there was no strike, with some employees of the Prague rescue service displaying stickers on their uniforms in solidarity.

Article by Prague Forum