site.btaSofia's Surface Transport Strike Enters Third Day

Sofia’s surface-transport strike under the slogan “Decent Work – Decent Pay! No Transport, No Economy!” continues on Friday, Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria's (CITUB) Federation of Transport Trade Unions and Podkrepa Confederation of Labour's Federation of Transport Workers told the Bulgarian News Agency.

Metro operator Metropolitan said the metro will not suspend its operating mode and will continue to support passenger transportation during the surface-transport protests in Sofia on May 16, adding that extra trains will keep running on lines 1, 2 and 4, with additional services on line 3, and that the shortened intervals between all metro trains will remain in force.

The trade unions demand urgent allocation of additional financial resources from the State Budget in the amount of BGN 40.7 million. Of these they expect BGN 29 million for the capital's public transport, BGN 6.5 million for the public transport in Varna, BGN 0.7 million for the one in Ruse and BGN 4.5 million for the Executive Agency Automobile Administration, CITUB informed.

Two days of talks have narrowed the gap between workers’ call for an extra BGN 300 a month and Sofia Municipality’s offer of either BGN 180 for all staff or BGN 100 plus doubled driver bonuses. Negotiations will restart on Monday only if the stoppage ends.