site.btaSofia Municipality Raises Public Transport Workers' Salaries By 15% from March 1

Sofia Municipality will increase the salaries of public transport workers by 15% from March 1, 2024, the municipal administration said on their website. An agreement on the matter was reached at a meeting of Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev with the directors of transport companies and trade union representatives. 

In addition to the pay rise, the agreement sets measures to improve the quality of public transport and the working environment, ensure a more attractive service for citizens, and help provide new transport vehicles and spare parts, the municipality said.

On January 18, the Federation of Transport Unions (FTU) with the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) launched protest action in Sofia. The protesters demanded a 30% pay rise and better working conditions in public transport. The FTU cited low wages as one of the causes of a shortage of drivers and mechanics. Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev met with representatives of CITUB and the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour and proposed a 15% base wage increase as of March 1. He said that Sofia Municipality would also try to raise wages again later this year alongside a bonus system for transport workers.