Hungarian railway company offers bonus to strike breakers

The rail workers strike will continue at least until Friday, Magyar Hírlap writes, as Wednesday talks between MÁV management and striking union VDSZSZ failed to reach agreement. The Labour Court is expected to rule on the legality of the strike tomorrow. No negotiations are scheduled for today.

Passenger division MÁV Start yesterday offered a Ft 5,000 per day bonus to those VDSZSZ members who are willing to go to work despite the strike, causing outrage among the strikers. VDSZSZ accused MÁV Start of offering "blood money" to the striking workers.

A few people reportedly accepted the bonus and quit the strike, while some who had not been on strike joined the walkout.

The union is holding out for a 10% raise, as well as a Ft 250,000 payment to each of its members, from the proceeds of the sale of freight division MÁV Cargo.

"I promised Hungarian taxpayers I would not support unplanned and irresponsible spending," Economy and Transport Minister Csaba Kákosy declared, saying he will allocate revenues to serve the interests of passengers and modernise railway lines rather than pay for more salary hikes.

MÁV said 40% of trains were running as usual yesterday, but international trains only ran as far as the border. Half of the scheduled InterCity trains ran between Budapest, Győr and Szombathely, while trains rolled out of rural stations every three hours. Trains began to run in Budapest's suburban stations every hour by Wednesday afternoon, Kossuth Rádió reported. A limited number of trains arrived at and departed from Déli, Nyugati and Keleti stations, Népszava writes.

The union's 10% wage demand cannot be met, and VDSZSZ leader István Gaskó is aware of that, Free Democrat Gábor Horn told reporters at Nyugati train station. He accused Gaskó of making his union part of a political game.

Socialist MP József Karsai said Gaskó is in effect supporting Free Democrat chairman János Kóka, because if the strike endures, it will become obvious that secondary lines are not needed, nor even main lines, as passengers can be carried by buses.

The government is attempting to deprive workers of their right to strike, said Fidesz MP Pál Kontur.

• Email
• Save to My Caboodle