More details on the lead up to the Budapest transport strike

Public transport in Budapest will not be running on Friday as BKV management and unions failed to reach agreement yesterday. No talks are scheduled for today.

If the walkout goes ahead, the 22 BKV unions will be on strike and only two subcontractors will deliver passengers on a few bus lines. Magyar Posta will deliver all parcels and pensions through its own vehicles. School principals can decide at their own discretion whether to cancel classes on Friday.

The unions are seeking an unspecified wage hike, as well as more funding for the city public transport company, and also want the management to withdraw plans to reduce services in its bid to cut the BKV's deficit.

The plan to reduce the number of BKV services, the so-called "parameter book" has been postponed until May. City council's management committee unanimously decided on Wednesday that mayor Gábor Demszky will have to get a new timetable drafted within a month and draw up a comprehensive BKV funding plan by August.

Finance Ministry state secretary László Keller made it clear again on Wednesday that the government will not provide any extra funds to cover the BKV’s Ft 18.5 billion operating deficit. The state has already contributed Ft 32.2 billion to the company this year and its subsidy of ticket prices exceeds Ft 21 billion, Népszabadság reports.

Demszky consulted Economy Minister Csaba Kákosy, but to no avail. Kákosy, who will bow out if the Free Democrats quit the coalition at the end of the month, promised only professional assistance.

A poll conducted by Medián shows that the majority of the people of Budapest supported the recent half-day strike, despite problems caused to one in two residents.

Most of the 500 respondents to the poll said they would prefer to improve the position of BKV by higher subsidies from the state and from towns near Budapest, and by catching fare dodgers. Most respondents also said they are gearing up for and will accept more BKV strikes in the coming weeks.

One third of the Medián poll respondents say the BKV is near bankruptcy because of poor management.

Meanwhile, a court refused the BKV's request to deem the April 7 half-day strike illegal. The court found nothing objectionable about the strike of 10,000 staff members. The verdict is open to appeal.

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