Union boss predicts travel chaos

By: MTI

2009-05-07 17:06

Several tens of thousands of workers from six sectors and 15-20 unions are to join industrial action in sympathy with the rail union, and chaos is expected for rail passengers, the chairman of the LIGA union group told a news conference on Thursday, a day ahead of a planned strike.

Istvan Gasko, who also heads rail union VDSZSZ, said he put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Hungarian railway company MAV for failing to agree with the union on the minimum level of services to be maintained during the strike.

VDSZSZ has been demanding for over a year that MAV employees receive 250,000 forints (EUR 880) each from the revenues generated from the sale of MAV's freight unit MAV Cargo and a retroactive 10 percent outsourcing compensation. The union has also been demanding a 7 percent wage increase for this year.

MAV representatives said that the union's demands could not be fulfilled for lack of resources.

VDSZSZ represents about 25 percent of Hungary's roughly 35,000 rail workers.