Protest by Public Transport Workers in Sofia Over Low Wages

Strike actions by public transport employees continued today, March 11, in Sofia. Their demands include higher wages and better working conditions. However, the protests did not lead to a shutdown of the city’s public transport services.

Venelin Atanasov has worked in public transport for 29 years. He says the main problems are low pay and poor working conditions.

Venelin Atanasov, electrical technician at the Iskar Tram Depot:

“With €950 it is very difficult to live. We often have to take out loans. After buying discounted essentials and paying my leasing instalments, I’m left with nothing. The working conditions are poor — there is a lot of dust, no protective equipment, and we have to buy our own work clothes and tools.”

Bus drivers also face fatigue and large amounts of overtime.

Valentin Ivanov, bus driver:
“There is a shortage of 300 staff in the bus transport sector, which means we have to work more overtime and have fewer breaks.

– How many hours of overtime do you work?
– Between 35 and 45. We barely get to see our families. And we are exhausted.”

Today the discontent was expressed through a peaceful strike and a call for a meeting between the protesters and the caretaker Prime Minister, the caretaker Minister of Finance and the Mayor of Sofia.

Todor Kapitanov, Deputy President of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria:
“At this stage, we hope to secure the broadest possible support for our demands — namely, subsidies for urban public transport in the capital, as well as in Ruse and Varna. These should come through state budget subsidies to municipalities so that employees can receive their 5% pay increase.”

No representatives from the three institutions attended the meeting at the Tramkar division. The Ministry of Finance explained that caretaker Finance Minister Georgi Klisurski had prior work commitments. Later, the Sofia Municipality stated that the problems in the transport sector are serious and have accumulated over many years.

Viktor Chaushev, Deputy Mayor for Transport at Sofia Municipality:
“Expenditures are made in a very inefficient manner. The companies are managed like a sieve — more and more money is constantly poured in, yet it leaks away and it is unclear where it goes. There is no visible effect. We are well aware of the employees’ demands. However, these should first be addressed to their direct management — the directors and boards appointed by the economic majority of the Municipal Council, since the Municipal Council is the principal of these companies.”

photos by BNT, BTA

According to the unions, if no meeting takes place and talks with the invited institutions fail to materialise, transport workers do not rule out the possibility of blockades.