Praha - Czech public sector workers may be awarded almost an overall 8 percent pay rise next year. 

At the state budget debate on Wednesday Labor Minister Petr Nečas introduced the Cabinet's plan to earmark CZK 2.7 billion for the public sector.

"The pay increases in the public sector are part of the Cabinet's financial crisis package," said Nečas. The pay rises will concern all workers in the public sector, starting from teachers, nurses to firemen.

The original plan of the Cabinet was to increase the salaries by 5 percent. Social Democrats (ČSSD) and the Trade Union required an 8 percent increase. The Cabinet, however, came up with the 8 percent increase too in reaction to the financial crisis which has been hitting on the Czech Republic too.