Warning strike on the railway

The unsolved problems by the management of CFR Călători, a company with state capital that has not yet approved the budget for the current year, led the members of the National Federation of Commercial Railway Movements to announce, yesterday, that on Friday, September 15, between 7 :00 and 9:00 will be on warning strike.

The purpose of the trade union protest is to draw the attention of the authorities and political decision-makers regarding the impasse regarding the social dialogue between CFR Călători employees and the respective company, given the fact that from May 26, 2023, the respective federation no longer has a valid collective labor agreement, and the management of the company refuses to accede to the requests of the employees' representatives for the conclusion of a new contract.

Among the reasons for the warning strike are the lack of approved revenue and expenditure budgets for the current year, the lack of investment in quality, modern rolling stock and the unmotivating salary for young Ceferists

"There is no solid investment plan regarding the complete replacement of the fleet of locomotives and wagons with which CFR Călători works today. The Romanians will hardly return to the wagons, in such conditions. (...) It is remembered less and less that in such wage conditions, but especially considering the wrong relationship that is being built between the management and the railway workers, the state railway companies, strategic units for the economy Romanian, they will remain without employees", the press release issued by the union organization states.

According to the cited document, the shortage of employees in the field of railway transport exceeds 6,000 people, with the overtime recorded being in the order of tens of thousands.

Employees are dissatisfied with the working conditions in stations, depots, wagon overhauls, lines or facilities, where they have to work in summer or winter at impossible temperatures. They also warn that the demands of safety in railway traffic are met only through the skill and improvisations made by engineers and railway workers.

If, following Friday's warning strike, an agreement is not reached with the leading team of CFR Călători, the railway employees do not rule out moving to the last form of protest: the general strike.