Action over wages by Hungarian rail workers represented by ITF affiliate VDSZSZ (the Free Trade Union of Railway Workers) in mid-April has led to the signing of an agreement by members of the Private Sector Consultation Forum (VKF), which consists of the government, private sector employer organisations and three union confederations, including VDSZSZ’s national confederation, the LIGA.
Under the agreement all employer organisations represented in the private sector will pay a 3.1 per cent wage increase, just above the country’s expected inflation rate this year. While not as high as the union had hope for, workers will get at least the same real wages as the previous year.
The management of MÁV Groups Co (the former Hungarian State Railways) has finally started negotiations with VDSZSZ to implement the same agreement. This follows a letter from the ITF to the president of VOSZ, the National Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers, expressing its support for VDSZSZ when VOSZ was the only one of Hungary’s nine employer organisations which had failed to reach wage negotiations in the public sector. Public sector negotiations take place through the Public Sector Reconciliation Forum (OKÉT).
Katalin Mathe, VDSZSZ international officer, commented: “The outcomes of the demonstration are positive in the private sector but we want to see equally good progress in the public sector. We will keep up the pressure during negotiations.”
ITF inland transport secretary Mac Urata added: “VDSZSZ have worked long and hard to win this achievement and we will continue to support their struggle to win better wages and social conditions for Hungary’s railway workers.”
There is already a wages agreement with the biggest freight company, Rail Cargo Hungaria (RCH).
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