Employees of Czech power utility CEZ in Bulgaria might go on effective strike within a month after the latest round of talks between trade unions and management on salary hikes on March 12 did not result in an agreement.

CEZ management would agree only to three out of ten demands put forward by the trade unions and refused to sign a three-month temporary collective bargaining agreement, strike committee chair Denko Roydev said, as quoted by Dnevnik daily.

The trade union will call on CEZ employees not to work extra hours and not to take home duties until the payments of those conditions is regulated.

On March 14, the unions are scheduled to meet representatives of Ministry of Economy and Energy, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and Chief Labour.

The deadline to reach an agreement with the management, set by the labour unions, expires on March 19. If their demands are not met by then, the unions plan to protest in front of the Bulgarian Cabinet.

The chair of CITUB trade union bloc Bozhidar Mitev estimated the number of people who would join the rally at more than 1500.