Public sector leads biggest strike in history

AP:

Thousands of Slovenian police, customs officers, vet-erinary inspectors and journ-alists began an open-ended strike yesterday to protest a government plan to freeze their salaries for two years. Several labour unions, representing about half of all public-service workers, said the strike will last until the government abandons its plan. Those unions represent about 80,000 people and the state-run news agency, STA, said the strike is the biggest in Slovenia's modern history. However, it has not produced major disruptions. Social services is handling only emergencies. The administration is issuing passports, IDs and other documents only if proved urgent. Police officers are not issuing fines for minor offences. Prime Minister Borut Pahor said his representatives will meet labour unions again today, but insisted that the decision was based on "economic reality". He said the wages will go up again when Slovenia "reaches economic recovery again".

Some labour unions have accepted the move.