Romanian Subway Unionists To Call Gen Strike As Of Nov 16 If Wage Talks Fail

Employees of Romania’s state-owned subway company Metrorex will go on general strike indefinitely as of November 16 if negotiations with management on wage raises fail, union leader Ion Radoi said Monday.

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If the general strike is triggered, the subway in Bucharest will only cover one third of its regular activity, so trains will only run between 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. More than a quarter of the Romanian capital's population takes the subway every day.

Subway employees are upset the government has not yet approved the company's 2010 budget and they can't negotiate their collective labor contract and a 26% wage raise.

Radoi also said subway employees will picket the Government headquarters daily starting Tuesday.

About 700 subway employees rallied outside the Transport Ministry late October to protest. Transport Minister Radu Berceanu said at the time their demands for a 26% wage raise are exaggerated and a talk on raises would not occur sooner than early next year, after the company's budget is approved.

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