(AP-ANSA) - BUDAPEST - Street demonstrations against recent
labor law changes in Hungary appeared to wane on their sixth
day, but opposition lawmakers vowed Tuesday to pursue legal and
parliamentary avenues to thwart the government while allowing
for a Christmastime lull. About 150 to 200 people assembled
outside the Hungarian parliament building in Budapest Tuesday
evening, compared to an estimated 2,000 that confronted police a
night earlier at the headquarters of state broadcaster MTVA. One
opposition lawmaker was sent to the hospital Monday after a
clash with MTVA security guards; tests showed he had internal
bruising, but no broken bones. Three others complained of rough
treatment. Timea Szabo, a lawmaker for the center-left Dialogu e
party, said the opposition remained committed to fighting the
government-initiated changes to overtime work laws. "We're
planning civil disobedience actions, road blocks with the trade
unions, and further demonstrations," Szabo told foreign
journalists on Tuesday. She declined to give details, citing the
need to both coordinate action and maintain "the element of
surprise". The main focus of the protests has been a law
allowing employers to request up to 400 overtime hours from
their workers annually - potentially reintroducing a six-day
week - while delaying payments for up to three years. The
right-wing government of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, which won
a third consecutive term in April's national election, said the
overtime rules were designed to ease an acute labor short age
and to enable workers to earn more. The government has said that
working overtime will be voluntary for employees. However,
critics say that in practice, the changes invite coercion of
industrial sector workers who have had their rights subdued for
decades. "According to word of the law, there has to be
consensus between the employer and employee. But in reality,
Hungarian workers are so vulnerable (with respect) to their
employers, that no one will dare say that they will not do this
overtime," Szabo said. The demonstrations that started after
lawmakers approved the new labor laws have been boisterous, but
largely peaceful. KESTER EDDY. (AP-ANSA).
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