A protest will take place today after the subway unionists have been in a two hours warning strike.
The unionists from transportation and public services have protested yesterday in Bucharest after the subway employees have had a warning strike on Tuesday morning between 04.00 and 06.00. According to the president of the federation, Ion Radoi, the unionists ask the modification of the current social legislation and denounced the impossibility of negotiation of collective employment contracts, the wage fund being blocked starting 2008. The unionists threaten that if their demands will not be solved, on September 30 they will stop working indefinitely, both at the subway and the urban transportation.
Ion Radoi said that the warning strike was organized because of the failure registered following the negotiations that took place on September 12 with Metrorex administration. “If this conflict on collective employment will not be solved, on September 30 it will be triggered the strike on indefinite term,” said Ion Radoi, who is also the president of the Metro Free Union Unity.
The leadership of Metrorex asked the employees, on Monday, to give up to strike, mentioning that the administration has continually proved its availability and openness regarding the negotiation of the Collective Employment Agreement. “The means of pressure should not be exerted by affecting those categories of people to whom it is addressed this means of transportation. The consequences of the above can be producing incidents caused by the congestion from the public transportation stations and by the traffic jams in the city, incidents which jeopardize the health and life of the people,” said Metrorex in a press release.
Metrorex administration added that, in accordance with Law 62/2011 of the Social Dialogue, with ulterior amendments, “can not be the object of collective labor disputes the claims of the employees for whose solution represents the adoption of a law or other legal act.” The Transport Ministry announced on September 5 that it disapproves the intention of the subway unions to start a general strike and asked Metrorex for immediate solutions to solve the employees’ claims.
Ion Radoi announced on September 4th that after the subway warning strike which took place on September 16th, the unionists’ protests will continue on September 18 with a rally organized by the federation, including unions of Metrorex and urban transportation and that on September 30 will be a general strike.
The union leader stated that at the subway general strike will participate the urban transportation unions, therefore on September 30 the public traffic in the capital will be blocked until 16.00.
Traffic restrictions
A protest will take place today in Bucharest, organized by the Federation of the Transport Unions, Transloc and “ATU Romania” Public Services. Because of the protest, traffic will be restricted in the central area of Bucharest. The rally, expected to gather about 4,000 trade unionists, will begin at 12.30 in the Piata Victoriei Square, then protesters will march around 2.00 PM towards the Piata Constitutiei Square via Calea Victoriei Avenue – the Natiunile Unite Bridge – the Natiunile Unite Boulevard – the Libertatii Boulevard. They will stay at Piata Constitutiei Square until 3.30 PM. During the march, traffic will be restricted along the route of the march and on adjacent streets. During the rally at the Piata Constitutiei Square, restrictions will also be set in place on the Unirii and Libertatii Boulevards.
