The LIGA trade union has held partial road blockade at 62 points around the country between 7am and 4pm on Monday in protest against government measures which the unions say are disadvantageous to employees. Shortly after 9am on Monday, police dispersed around 20 protesters who had blocked Parliament’s underground garage serving lawmakers. After calling on the protesters who chanted “constitution, democracy, welfare state!” to leave the site three times, the police forcibly removed them from in front of the garage. The protesters remained in the vicinity.
Speaking ahead of a partial road-block demonstration today, trade union leader István Gaskó said he hoped the strike would serve as a wake-up call to the government and demonstrate that there is broad support for the unions’ demands. The LIGA trade union umbrella organisation chief said he trusts an agreement with the government and employers can be reached. On the side of employees, they must think about how its package of demands can be realised and to what extent, Gaskó said, adding that if today’s demonstration does not achieve what its organisers set out to, there are two options going forward: “hold a demonstration or further partial road blockade or to hold a national strike.”
via hungarymatters.hu; cover photo: trade union chief István Gaskó (Zoltán Máthé – MTI); slideshow photos: MTI