Romanian Transport Min Tells Railway Workers To Drop Bonus Demands

"I’ve told them many times: «fellas, if we stay fixed on all kinds of bonuses, soon we mighty not have money for the salaries of those doing the work. Let’s see if we can increase revenues and decrease spending». It wasn’t until two weeks ago that we reached a partial agreement with the unions," Berceanu said.

He added the directors from National Railroad Company divisions CFR Calatori and CFR SA, as well as most managing board members, were proposed by the social democrats.

"The only democrat liberal proposed director is at CFR Marfa, which does not have such big problems," the minister said.

Berceanu added traffic was resumed after several trains have been blocked Wednesday in a spontaneous protest held by railroad workers.

The employees of the Bucharest and Constanta branches of Romania’s national railway company CFR staged spontaneous protests Wednesday morning, demanding the payment of back salaries for May.

Protests blocked eight trains in Gara de Nord, Chitila and Titu railway stations, which were supposed to head for Budapest, Timisoara and Constanta.

Gheorghe Popa, head of the Miscare Comercial Federation, said it all goes down to administrative issues, adding back salaries for May will be paid Wednesday afternoon or Thursday at the latest.

Popa also said the management of the Bucharest branch cited bank-related problems, which it notified to its employees.

Transport Ministry undersecretary, Constantin Axinia, said Wednesday that back salaries were paid Tuesday, stressing the employees have not yet received the money due to technical problems at the computerized system.

Axinia also said he talked to union leaders, adding the latter knew about potential delays and that the employees will gradually get their money this week.