Hungarian railway workers strike may be repeated
The two-hour rail strike throughout Hungary Wednesday morning wrought havoc with train schedules that was not resolved until the afternoon. State railway company MÁV said 142 out of 556 trains functioned and 1,774 out of 3,502 traffic controllers reported for work.
The strike was called to protest against the planned closure of 38 secondary lines. The Economy and Transport Ministry said the strike did not make sense, as no decision has been reached on next year’s timetable or on abolishing rural lines.
Mayors and NGOs in the affected villages argue that the end of rail traffic will place disadvantaged areas in an impossible position.
Socialist MPs have said they will only support the closures of lines if the affected local authorities agree, resisting the Free Democrat-controlled Economy and Transport Ministry.
The Railway Workers Union and the Free Union of Railway Workers said they will stage a longer, six-hour, strike on November 19 or 21, unless the ministry engages in substantive negotiations.
The above story is just one of more than two dozen published today by Hungary Around the Clock, the most comprehensive source of daily English-language news about Hungary. For a free trial of HATC, click here. Hungarian news sources include Népszabadság; Magyar Hírlap; Világgazdaság; Napi Gazdaság; Magyar Nemzet; Népszava; Kossuth Rádió news and Hungarian television's nightly news broadcast.
Email
Save to My CaboodleRelated Stories:
- Railworkers threaten unannounced strike - 2008-05-15 09:45
- Passengers on Hungarian trains get new options, "insults" - 2008-01-30 10:45
- Nation-wide transport strike expected in Hungary on Nov 27 - 2007-11-26 09:40
- Wednesday rail strikes bring Hungary to a standstill - 2007-11-22 08:28
- Hungarian railway workers rejected last-minute offer - 2007-11-21 09:53
- Hungarian trade unions to hold strikes and demonstrations - 2007-11-20 11:48
- Budapest back to normal after brief transport strike - 2007-11-20 10:00
- Electricity workers strike on Nov. 21 will spike power costs - 2007-11-14 12:00
- Hungarian railway workers announce Nov 21 strike - 2007-11-13 08:53
- Railway employees' strike halts 600 trains across Hungary - 2007-11-07 11:48
- Hungarian railway employees to strike on November 7 - 2007-10-29 11:28
- Train service between Malmo and Lake Balaton planned - 2007-10-29 09:49
- Hungarian train drivers' strike continues to disrupt services - 2007-10-25 11:02
- Losses may force closure of 700 km of Hungarian railway - 2007-10-19 10:55
- Hungarian Railways to improve station information systems - 2007-10-04 10:10
- 300 German railway wagons delivered to Hungary - 2007-10-03 09:00
- Hungarian State Railway outsources inspection of tickets - 2007-09-27 10:05
- Hungarian state railway co. introduces low-cost tickets - 2007-09-25 08:47
- Railway company to reduce debts with money for Nyugati - 2007-08-27 12:49
