The SPS, one of Slovenia's two police trade unions, stressed that the agreement on pay and other income of public employees for 2011 and 2012 envisaged EUR 692 gross in holiday allowance per employee that was to be paid out with April pay.

The act on the balancing of public finances, which came into force after holiday allowances were due, however envisaged that holiday allowances be lowered and paid out on 1 July.

The SPS called for negotiations with the government on 18 May, stressing that the government had violated the valid agreement by not paying out holiday allowances with the April pay.

Holiday allowances in the public sector for this year depend on one's pay and range from EUR 692 for those with the lowest pay to EUR 100 for the top earners.

The 2011 and 2012 pay agreement "has legal nature of a collective labour agreement", which is why the authorities cannot change it on their own, the SPS believes.

Apart from the collective lawsuit, individual police officers will also file lawsuits over the difference between the agreed holiday allowance and that which was actually to be paid out under the austerity act.

The SPS's suit comes in the wake of a similar class action by the Slovenia's other Police Trade Union (PSS) on 11 May. The PSS now also supplemented its suit with the demand that the difference in the sum be paid out, head of the PSS Radivoj Uroševič told the STA.

Justice and Public Administration Minister Senko Pličanič responded to the lawsuit, saying that "we should wait for the ruling" and the government will abide by it.

Everybody has the right to appeal, and the executive branch of power has to listen to the decisions of the judiciary, the minister added.