Bulgaria’s Ruling Party Under Pressure from Underpaid Public Sector Workers
Bulgaria's ruling party, GERB, is facing a spike in pay rise calls from public sector workers and pensioners with threats of strike action this fall if demands are not met.
Pensioners, teachers and Interior Ministry workers have all been emboldened by recent pronouncements by government officials that it is high time to boost income levels, newspaper Sega reported on Tuesday.
The biggest trade union within the Interior Ministry issued a letter on Monday, requesting a 25% increases in salaries. Days earlier, teachers also made pay rise demands albeit much more modest.
According to the newspaper, the discontent could reach nationwide proportions if the government does not take seriously demands made by the country's biggest trade unions to come up with options for an increase in income levels across the board.