Unions at the Czech Republic’s biggest car maker, Škoda Auto, have tabled a demand for pay rises this year of 18 percent.

They have asked for a 14 percent increase in the basic wage and a further 4.0 percent rise related to personal evaluations. Unions are also seeking to repeat last year’s practice where two special one off payments totalling around 90,000 crowns. The average wage for a car worker last year was around 40,000 crowns a month.

A new deal should be in place by April 1 to cover the following 12 months. Škoda Auto employs around 30,000 people at its three Czech plants.