Romanian Subway Unionists’ Request For 26% Wage Raise Is Exaggerated – Transport Min

"The unionists want to sing the collective labor contract for 2010, but this is not possible as the law stipulates it can't be signed before the revenue and expenses budget for 2010 is approved," Berceanu said, adding further talks will be held next year.

Berceanu said the Government approved Wednesday the revenue and expenses budget of state-owned subway Metrorex for 2009, and highlighted that half of the company's funds are state subsidies.

Finance Ministry representatives assured subway unionists the budget of Metrorex was approved Wednesday in a Government meeting and it will be published in the Official Journal, while represetatives of the Transport Ministry claim only a memorandum on the company's budget for next year was adopted.

"The two ministries do not know for sure if the budget of Metrorex was approved or not. The Transport Ministry says the Government approved only a memorandum in a meeting held yesterday, and the budget might be approved next week, while the Finance Ministry says the budget has already been approved," said union leader Ion Radoi, adding he hopes the two ministries clear things soon enough to avoid a general strike.

Berceanu also told unionists the International Monetary Fund, which gave Romania a bailout loan of nearly EUR13 billion, did not approve of wage raises over the inflation level.

Berceanu said Bucharest general mayor Sorin Oprescu can ask for Metrorex to be transferred to local authorities from the Transport Ministry anytime.

"If Oprescu is interested in Metrorex, he can have it by tomorrow morning and can deal with the problems himself," said Berceanu.

About 700 Metrorex employees gathered outside the Transport Ministry in Bucharest and marched up to the Finance Ministry protesting the management's refusal to negotiate their wages. Unionists want a 26% wage raise and are angry the subway company's management will not renegotiate their collective labor contract, which expires on November 1 because the company's budget for next year has yet to be approved.

The protest of subway unionists ended an hour later than authorized the subway union risks to be fined for the delay.

The demonstration Thursday was only attended by employees who were on their spare time, so subway traffic was not affected. However, a general strike could cause chaos on the capital city's streets because the subway carries more than half a million passengers daily out of Bucharest's 2 million inhabitants.

If you liked this story, please follow MEDIAFAX.RO on FACEBOOK »

The content of mediafax.ro is for your information only. Republishing or using this content is forbidden without express consent of MEDIAFAX. For this consent, please ask for it by mail at vanzari@mediafax.ro.