Bus transport in Hungary may collapse due to strike before Christmas
Change language:
Drivers at Volánbusz threatened with a nationwide strike due to failed negotiations about a significant pay rise with the management of the state-owned transport company.
According to index.hu, the Wednesday talks between the nine workers’ trade unions and the leadership of the company were not successful. If MÁV-Volán does not give a pay rise offer until 1 December, bus drivers will go on strike before Christmas. That is what István Dobi, the chairman of the Szolidaritás Autóbusz-közlekedési Szakszervezet (SZAKSZ), a trade union of the bus drivers, said after the Wednesday fiasco. Since Volánbusz provides public transport everywhere in Hungary except for the cities and Budapest, the consequences, especially before the Christmas festivities, would be devastating.
Zoltán Pafféri, the CEO of Volánbusz, did not acknowledge the payrise initiative of the workers on Wednesday. He said he did not obtain an authorisation to do so. Therefore, he asked drivers to submit their proposals in writing.
Concerning 2024, members of the different trade unions of the MÁV-Volán workers would like salary increases and an expansion of their benefits package.