Bus drivers on strike alert, demanding higher salaries

A stalemate has occurred in the collective bargaining for public bus transport, with trade unions unable to agree with transport companies on wage growth for bus drivers, representatives of the OZ KOVO trade union told a news conference in Bratislava on Tuesday. Bus transport employees are now on strike alert and if negotiations with a mediator involved also fail, they don't rule out the possibility of going on strike. "Public bus transport employees have been dissatisfied with their salaries for a long time, chiefly with regards to the fact of how demanding this profession is and the length of time they spend at work," said OZ KOVO vice-chair Monika Benedeková. Therefore, they demand a 10-percent increase in tariff wages and a 12-percent increase in average wages. "Even after two negotiation rounds, the employer side did not retreat from its proposal, which is a 1-percent increase in tariff wages and a 2-percent increase in average wages," said Benedeková. As for the lowest wages, this would mean an increase in the average monthly salary by a mere €4.5, she added. The negotiations will now continue with the involvement of a mediator. The next round will be held on January 24 in Žilina. According to Benedeková, the average wages in western and northern Slovakia currently amount to €1,000, while they only stood at about €700 in eastern and southern Slovakia. "When the average wage is calculated per number of hours that drivers actually spend at work, they earn less than grocery stockers handling goods in a supermarket," emphasised Benedeková.