Chaos in Budapest: Garbage collectors strike, waste collection halted
On Wednesday morning, waste collection in several districts of Budapest came to a halt, coinciding with a partial taxi strike in the city. The stoppage has caused significant disruption, leaving residents frustrated.
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Why did garbage collection stop?
According to Blikk, workers at the Rákospalota incinerator, the Ecseri Road site, and the District II depot initiated a work stoppage. Employees cited multiple issues, including shortages of hygiene kits, work clothes, boots, and spare parts for refuse lorries. Some workers claimed that decommissioned vehicles were being put back into service with only minimal repairs, and during the summer, some lorries with broken air conditioning had to be used.
The strike reportedly began during a morning staff meeting, where management outlined measures they had taken for employees. Dissatisfied workers listed the equipment shortages and decided not to report for duty. They are demanding fair wages, reduced overtime, and a more reasonable distribution of bulky waste collection tasks.
Truck driver Károly Király emphasised: “The vehicles are in critically poor condition, with some not serviced for over a year. Even minor issues, such as a burnt-out light, pose problems due to a lack of spare parts.” Loader Zsolt Tóth-Ádám added: “We are expected to work 12-hour shifts, but we just want a decent salary to support our families.”
Delays in bulk and green waste collection
The Óbuda-Békásmegyer local government stated that bulk waste collection had been disrupted. Of the nine refuse lorries assigned to the district, only one arrived in the morning before leaving, citing the strike. Officials described MOHU’s handling of the situation as “shocking and irresponsible”, noting that they received no prior or current notifications to inform residents.
Who is responsible?
It is important to note that waste collection in Budapest is managed by the state-owned company MOHU, not the city government. The municipality is monitoring the situation, but specific questions should be directed to MOHU representatives.
DK: Garbage trucks should not operate during rush hours
The Democratic Coalition (DK) has proposed that refuse lorries should not operate in Budapest between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., said Sándor Szaniszló, head of the party’s Budapest faction, at a press conference held before the City Council meeting on Wednesday.
The politician explained that on Wednesday, workers at the Ecseri Road site went on a partial strike. He noted that since MOL-MOHU took over waste collection, residents had been receiving significantly worse service. According to employees, the company has been “saving” on night-shift bonuses, causing refuse lorries to start later and worsening traffic congestion during peak hours.
Szaniszló added that the party would contact the union on Wednesday to offer support, and during the City Council session they planned to propose banning waste collection vehicles from operating in the city between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.
Bottle return issues
Gy. Erzsébet Németh, DK Member of Parliament, also highlighted problems with the bottle return system. From early October, the general terms and conditions will change—for example, residents will have to pay for damaged bins, and MOHU will not collect waste if the bin lid cannot be closed.
She emphasised that, in the event of a change of government, the Democratic Coalition would review all concession contracts, including those concerning waste collection, as they consider it unacceptable for concessionaires to provide lower-quality services. Németh argued that after 15 years of Fidesz governance, many public services are in worse condition, and there are serious issues in child protection, which has been removed from municipal oversight. She also called for an investigation into the “Szőlő Street atrocities” and urged all Fidesz MPs to support the establishment of an investigative committee initiated by DK.