In addition to collecting garbage from over 800,000 households in the city, FKF is responsible for cleaning public areas and clearing snow from areas of the inner city. The company recently granted its workers a four percent wage increase, denying their demands for an eight percent rise.

In November parliament mandated a 23 percent increase in minimum wages in the run-up to the 2018 election. However, certain classes of government employees are excluded from the deal, including public school teachers.

Local Industrial and City Economy Workers Union 2000 (HVDSZ) scheduled negotiations today with Budapest head mayor István Tarlós to avoid the scheduled strike, but FKF announced it had broken off negotiations. HVDSZ has turned to a court to agree on the legality of the work stoppage, and to determine what basic functions the FKF must still perform during the strike to ensure “sufficient service,” a legal condition for a strike.

The court is expected to hand down its decision soon, after which the strike could begin at any time.

FKF workers say they will continue to perform services that ensure the health and safety of city residents, including the removal of garbage from public educational and health facilities.

They would also strive to prevent the danger of accidents in the case of unexpected weather by clearing snow and ice from roads. However, HVDSZ president András Király told atv.hu that two or three garbage trucks sent out at the wrong time could paralyze traffic in half the city, and promised that the strike would continue until the workers’ demands are satisfied.

Source: The Budapest Beacon

Republished with permission