The government has said that discussions over increasing the pension age to 65, from 63 for men and from 60 for women, have been temporarily suspended. The Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Totyu Mladenov, stated that the government's priorities would be the start of health care reforms and the stabilization of the labour market.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/354;
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=113060
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After some limited warning strikes, the strike committee of the joint railway unions has announced a nationwide strike unless the management of the state-owned companies agrees to their demands. Demands include being paid on time, receiving all social benefits railway workers are entitled to, and, most importantly, putting an end to the planned layoffs of 2,000 workers in the two state-owned railway companies BDZ (Bulgarian State Railways) and NKZI (National Company Railway Infrastructure). The unions are also opposed to the shutting down of railway stations and lines in poor regions. The Transport Ministry recently announced that the railways face a large deficit, blaming this largely on the policies of the former government.
English: http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=108980
Trade union representatives were not invited at the August 9 meeting between Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and representatives of shareholders in the Kremikovtzi steel mill, union leaders Vasil Yanachkov and Lyudmil Pavlov told a news agency. Yanachkov, chairman of the Federal Trade Union Organization "Metalizti", saidÿ: "We have shown enough activism and we have impressed the society. Yet, we couldn't tell management, shareholders nor the prime minister what to do, though we will express our position." According to Yanachkov the right way to save the steel mill is through debt capitalization (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 2 April 2009).
English: http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=n190591;
via http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/show_news.pl?country=Bulgaria
Just three weeks ahead of the parliamentary elections of 5 July, the CITUB trade union confederation organised a national demonstration in Sofia on 16 June in protest at the government's failure to protect the poor, low-paid and unemployed in the current crisis. Workers from across the public and private sectors joined the demonstration. CITUB and its affiliates have criticised government plans to freeze public sector pay instead of implementing an agreed 10% pay increase, a step that will affect about 400,000 public servants. CITUB also emphasized the need to increase investments as well as to guarantee pension, health and educational systems. Vice-president of CITUB, Plamen Dimitrov, finally asked government to increase the minimum monthly wage to 340 leva per month (Euro 174) in July and then again to 400 leva in October 2009. The current minimum wage is 220 leva.
English: http://www.epsu.org/cob/312;
http://www.sofiaecho.com/2009/06/19/737789_ups-and-downs;
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSLG80487220090616
The day after the Easter holidays workers from the Kremikovtzi steel mill have continued their protests, rallying over unpaid salaries and the imminent closure of the plant. The Federation of Metallurgy - CL Podkrepaÿ andÿ Metalicy, representing workers of the plant, accused the Bulgarian authorities of failing to act, and demanded the government to pay out arrears in wages (since November 2008) to the 5,000 Kremikovtzi workers as well as to provide compensations to 2,000 workers who will lose their jobs by the end of June. The executive director of the plant denied earlier rumours about the Brazilian company CSN, the only bidder, was not interested any more in the acquisition of the insolvent plant. However, unions are demanding from the government to render more active support and commitment in the search for a new buyer of the plant.
English: http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=102938 via http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/show_news.pl?country=Bulgaria;
http://www.imfmetal.org/main/index.cfm?n=47&l=2&c=19237&nb=2
Low-skilled construction workers will be paid no less than BGN 360 (Euro 184) a month in 2009 under a two-year collective agreement signed between employers and trade unions, the Bulgarian Construction Chamber (BCC) said. This wage level is 50% above the national minimum wage laid down per 1 January 2009. High-skilled construction workers will earn a monthly minimum of BGN (Leva) 540, while supervisors will make no less than BGN 770 a month. The agreement is aiming at curbing the grey economy and protecting the interests of loyal construction companies, BCC explained (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 1 No.'s 7, 8, 9 and 10).
(English: http://www.sofiaecho.com/article/minimum-wages-in-construction-increased-to-360-leva/id_33812/catid_67)
In discussions with employers' associations and trade union confederations on the 2009 budget, the government has stuck to its plan for an 8.3% increase in the national minimum wage from 1 January 2009, taking it to BGN 240 (Euro 120) per month. Earlier, the CITUB and Podkrepa union confederations had called for a 18.2% hike. (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 1 No.'s 7, 8 and 9).
(English: Watson Wyatt Data Services, New Industrial Relations Europe, 12/2008)
The CITUB and Podkrepa union confederations have decided to pull out of the National Council for Tripartite Cooperation, as a protest against what they claim is the government's persistent failure to honour its commitments and in support for demands for "honest pay". The two confederations warned that ordinary workers must not be left bearing the brunt alone for the global financial crisis. They are demanding a tangible increase in the national minimum wage (CITUB earlier called for a 18.2% hike from 1 January 2009) and 20% pay rises in the public sector. (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 1 No.'s 7 and 8).
(English: Watson Wyatt Data Services, New Industrial Relations Europe, 11/2008; http://www.bnr.bg/RadioBulgaria/Emission_English/News/1211-B17.htm, via http://www.labourstart.org/cgi-bin/show_news.pl?country=Bulgaria)
Though in the national budget a 9% rise of the national minimum wage from 1 January 2009 is envisaged (up by 9% to BGN 240 or Euro 120 per month), the CITUB union confederation is calling for a 18.2% hike. If CITUB gets its way, the new minimum wage rate would become BGN 260 (Euro 130). CITUB put forward its claim in recent discussions between trade unions, employers' associations and the Socialist Party, the dominant faction in the coalition movement. (See also this Collective Bargaining Newsletter Year 1 No. 7).
(English: Watson Wyatt Data Services, New Industrial Relations Europe, 10/2008)
The national minimum wage is due to go up by 9% to BGN 240 (Euro 120) a month from 1 January 2009 under the terms of next year's draft budget, presented by the government to employers' associations and trade unions for their comments. The package also envisages a possible new approach to public sector pay increases, with a 10% increase in over-all wages rather than across-the-board rises for individuals. That will allow awards scheduled for 1 July 2009 to be linked more closely to personal performance. The government proposes a net cut in total social insurance charges of 2.4%-points, with reductions in employer contributions to the wage guarantee fund and to pensions, and an increase in the combined healthcare contribution from 6% to 8%. The draft forecasts economic growth in 2009 of 6.5% and inflation of 4.2%.
(English: Watson Wyatt Data Services, New Industrial Relations Europe, 8/2008)