Opposition asks state railways not to apply new overtime rules

Opposition parties have asked the management of state railways MÁV not to apply new rules that allow employers to increase overtime and delay pay for it for up to three years in line with the amended labour code.

Socialist Party deputy group leader Ildikó Borbély Bangó told a press conference held in front of MÁV’s headquarters on Monday that the management of electricity company MVM visited last week had told them that they were not planning to put the new regulations of the “slave law” in practice.

She added that

MÁV managing director Robert Homolya would be asked to sign a declaration under which he would make every effort to prevent the application of the new regulations.

Independent lawmaker Anett Bősz told the press conference that state-owned companies should show an example and demonstrate that employees are important to them. Another independent, Bernadett Szél, said that ruling Fidesz-Christian Democrats treated workers as “vile little proles” and it was the opposition’s duty to prevent the application of the “slave law”. Hungarian workers want higher wages rather than working overtime, she added.

Democratic Coalition (DK) group spokesman Zsolt Gréczy said the “slave law” had been approved under unlawful circumstances and surveys showed that 70-80 percent of Hungarians were against it.

Párbeszéd spokesman Richard Barabás said the law was exploiting workers and while prices in Hungary were at a European level, wages were still “scandalously” low.

Tamás Csányi, who introduced himself as a future lawmaker of conservative opposition Jobbik, said that

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his government had “crossed the Rubicon” and the opposition had to protect workers from the government.

After submitting a letter addressed to MÁV’s managing director, Borbély said that the senior managers they had been met said that for the time being MAV was not going to enforce the “slave law”.

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Photo: Daily News Hungary – Alpár Kató

Source: MTI