site.btaUPDATED Public Transport Employees in Sofia Protest to Press for New Collective Labour Agreement, Meet with Mayor

Public transport employees in Sofia staged a protest here on Friday morning, demanding the start of negotiations for a new collective labour agreement. The protest was called off later and a meeting was arranged with Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev.

The protest was organized by the Federation of Transport Trade Unions, which is part of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB).

Starting at 4 a.m., some 150 workers from the Sofia city bus company Stolichen Avtotransport blocked 26 bus routes, demanding the initiation of negotiations for a new collective labour agreement, CITUB Vice President Todor Kapitanov told BTA.

He said that employees were threatened with prosecution if they participated in the protest, and this is why the turnout is lower than the anticipated more than 400 people. "We want a collective labour agreement that regulates working conditions and remuneration, but instead of inviting us to negotiations, they are threatening us with prosecution," Kapitanov said.

"For months, we’ve been wondering why there are staff shortages in public transport," Alexander Shopov, chairperson of the Federation of Transport Trade Unions, said. He suggested that "the issue may not only be about salaries but also the way employers treat their employees." Shopov said that it is unacceptable for employers in a democratic country to intimidate workers for voicing concerns over working conditions or the lack of a collective labour agreement.

The trade union added that, as of December 17, the company had no collective labour agreement in place, putting employees' fringe benefits at risk. That is why employees in the sector feel compelled to voice their dissatisfaction through active protest, CITUB said. They added that the lack of social dialogue and non-compliance with the law on the part of "unreliable employers, such as Stolichen Avtotransport EAD," is contributing to an ongoing outflow of staff in a sector already struggling with shortages.

In a statement to the media, the management of Stolichen Avtotransport EAD denied any obstruction of the negotiation process for a new collective labour agreement, adding that "there are no objective facts" for these allegations." "We are making consistent efforts to improve working conditions and prioritize the rights of our employees," the management said.

Later in the morning, the protestors accepted an invitation for talks by Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev and said that they are resuming the previously suspended bus services. 

After the talks, Mayor Terziev told a news briefing that everyone's goal is to put the public transport system in order and have a reliable service that improves every year. "Following this meeting, we outlined the next steps to achieve a collective labour agreement. We deem it crucial that any following talks and resolution of positions do not come at the expense of the comfort and convenience of Sofia's residents," Terziev said. He added that the meeting would resume on Monday at 10 a.m. with representatives from CITUB and the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour to begin negotiations on the collective labour agreement.

Shopov thanked Terziev for his prompt response and effective mediation. "Just as we signed a good agreement with the municipality last year, I hope we can sign a good collective labour agreement this time as well," Shopov said. He stressed that employees’ rights would be protected, working conditions improved, and remuneration increased.