The shop steward for the SDLSN union of civil servants said on Tuesday union members would decide whether a 12% pay rise offer for judicial employees was enough.

About 200 striking judicial employees came outside the National and University Library, where a session of the Economic and Social Council (GSV) was taking place.

“We came below the prime minister’s window because we want to receive an offer,” shop steward Marija Paun said, adding that when the justice minister’s offer “becomes official, union members will decide on it.”

Speaking after a meeting with the union last night, Minister Ivan Malenica said they discussed the 12% pay rise and other increases and that he would send them an official offer by the end of the week.

According to Paun, the offer does not sound good. “We haven’t been on strike for two months for 50 or 70 euros.”

She said the strike, which began on 5 June, could go on until Christmas. “We have the energy.” She said the government’s measures against the strikers encouraged them “not to give up.”

Bill on wages in civil and public services presented

A bill on wages in civil and public services presented at the GSV session attended by the premier and many ministers.

Speaking of the strike, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said the payment of a wage supplement for all civil and public servants with low coefficients was agreed with the unions on 5 June and that it was aimed at assisting them until the adoption of a new law  on wages in civil and public services given the inflation and the economic and social situation in the country.

This is “a unique move,” he said. “We acknowledged the circumstances the country is in, we found the funds for a solution and arrived at a solution through dialogue,” he added, noting that the solution covers 90% of all civil and public servants.

Presenting the bill, Minister Malenica said it was one of the biggest reforms in public administration in 30 years. The goal is to sustainably standardise wages in the public sector for 230,000 employees, he added.