Coalition parties agree on wage hike for public sector employees

The parties of the ruling coalition have agreed on a 15 percent wage hike for teachers and a 10 percent wage hike for other public sector employees as of November 1. Agreement on the salary increase was reached after Finance Minister Ivan Pilny raised the projected revenues for 2018 by 21 billion crowns. This was made possible due to an upgrade of the country’s growth estimate from 2.9 to 3.1 percent. Even so, ministers will have to find an additional 8 billion crowns to deliver on their promise. The coalition parties on Monday did not reach a consensus on whether universities will receive the additional 4.5 billion they asked for.