Govt To Approve Subway Company Metrorex’s Budget Wednesday – Romanian Transport Min

Berceanu said no talks on wage increases can start unless revenue and expenses budget is approved.

"Subway employees want wage raises every year. They stay underground and they don't want to see realities outside. Their wages increased by 23% in 2008, and by 26% in 2009, which is a 50% overall increase. I can no longer take into account any wage raise," Berceanu said during the inauguration of the bypass road in Adunatii Copaceni, Giurgiu county, southern Romania.

Regarding the warning strike subway unions planed for Thursday morning, Berceanu said he has no clue to whom the warning is directed.

Subway employees will go on a two-hour warning strike Thursday morning unhappy with the results of negotiations on wage increases, union leaders said Monday after a meeting with management and representatives of the Bucharest Labor Chamber. Subway employees also said they might go on a general strike as of November 16 if wage increase negotiations fail.

Late October, about 700 Metrorex employees gathered outside the Transport Ministry in Bucharest and marched up to the Finance Ministry protesting the management's refusal to negotiate their wages. Unionists requested a 26% wage raise and were angry the subway company's management would not renegotiate their collective labor contract, which was to expire on November 1 as the company's budget for next year had yet to be approved.

Berceanu said back then that subway workers' claim for a 26% pay raise was exaggerated and talks regarding a possible wage increase would take place next year, after the company's budget for 2010 is approved.

The Government did not approve last week the revenue and expenses budget of Metrorex, as the company's current budget scheme shows expenses exceed revenues by much, people close to the matter told MEDIAFAX.

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