Public Administration Minister Boris Koprivnikar has repeated on several occasions that the government was keen to have joint talks with all the unions which have set strike demands.

However, the government's chief negotiator also says that the trade unions cannot be forced to negotiate at the same table unless they want to, so separate talks will be held with those wishing to negotiate separately.

To agree on how to proceed, all those trade unions which have announced strikes have been invited to today's meeting, including the SVIZ union of teachers, which insists on separate talks and has already met the government negotiating team last week.

SVIZ announced a strike for 14 February, a day after a strike is planned by two trade unions associating employees in healthcare and social care, who also want to negotiate separately. Police officers are planning a strike on 12 February.

A group of 16 public sector unions representing a series of professional groups, from customs officers to vets, culture workers, teaching staff and pharmacists are planning to go on strike as early as next Wednesday.

This group in particular has been insisting on joint talks, in order to preserve the single pay system in the public sector, especially as it was pay rise deals negotiated by individual groups of employees, such as doctors, which deepened pay disparities in the first place.