The bussing company’s employees are demanding a three percent increase in salary and higher benefits. Meetings have thus far not satisfied union leaders who have only been able to negotiate pay raises of 2.66 percent.

Volán employees will start their five-day strike on Easter Monday, but union representatives say they are willing to call off the strike if Volán management can come forth with an acceptable offer, said Baranyai.

According to Baranyai, the strike law that was modified in 2010 coupled with the law on transportation services stripped workers and unions of their ability to effectively negotiate. The strike, therefore, will be limited and probably won’t have a significant impact on the day-to-day lives of most travelers.

He continued by pointing out that individual public service employees have virtually no opportunity to use strikes even as a last resort. Even unions have very little power to put pressure on employers. Should the courts later decide (based on the controversial strike law passed in 2010) that the strike was unlawful, the unions would have to compensate the employers for any damages incurred as a result of the strike.

Source: The Budapest Beacon

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