/View.info/ Given the severe shortage of drivers and service workers in urban transport, a 30% increase in basic salaries is completely reasonable,” said Vanya Grigorova
We need to think comprehensively, not piecemeal, when looking for solutions to the problems in metropolitan public transport. This was said by the chairman of BSP – Sofia and the group of socialists in SOS, Ivan Takov, during today’s meeting with the president of KT “Podkrepa” Dimitar Manolov and the chairman of the Federation of Transport Workers at the trade union Ivan Kirilov. The conversation was also attended by the deputy chairman of the Local Coalition group “BSP for Bulgaria” Vanya Grigorova, municipal councilors Ivan Peshev, Nikolay Velchev, Enyo Savov and Voyslav Todorov, as well as the transport expert in BSP – Sofia Ivan Kovachev. On the part of the trade union, the chairmen of the FTR “Podkrepa” in the urban transport companies participated in the meeting.
Ivan Takov stated that the municipal councilors from the Local Coalition “BSP for Bulgaria” are familiar with the declaration of the Federation of Transport Workers to the KT “Podkrepa” and to the KNSB, which they sent at the beginning of December last year to the Mayor of Sofia, Vasil Terziev, and to all representatives of political groups in SOS.
“On the points in the declaration, we have almost no contradictions, said Ivan Takov. – The requests are reasonable and fair. Over the years, the municipal councilors from the BSP have not stopped insisting on better working conditions in the capital’s public transport. Therefore, our support is guaranteed “.
The chairman of BSP – Sofia called on the unions not to concentrate only on increasing the wages of drivers. “Working conditions are no less important, he added. – That’s why we have to look for funding opportunities. And when we think about solving the problems in transport, let’s do it comprehensively. We shouldn’t turn our backs on the housing policy, which for so many years we are trying to impose in the Metropolitan Municipality. Also solving the problem of places in kindergartens. To make the work of drivers in public transport attractive for young people, we need to offer them a package of services – affordable rent in municipal housing, places for their children in the gardens and crèches and a monthly remuneration that corresponds to the standard of living in Sofia. This is the only way we will have a chance to deal with the shortage of labor in the capital’s public transport and we will not have to import drivers from abroad or more precisely from Kyrgyzstan, as they say”.
Ivan Takov was adamant that the group of the Local Coalition “BSP for Bulgaria” will very actively insist that in the Budget 2024 of the Capital Municipality, sufficient funds be allocated for transport in Sofia. “Of course, we will do it within the framework of what is reasonable and possible, he explained. – Transport is one of the main and most important systems in the city. For it and for garbage collection, the Metropolitan Municipality spends 50% of its own income. And we on transport we see as a basic social service”.
The leader of the capital’s socialists expressed concern that Mayor Terziev and the PP-DB-SS in SOS may use the need for more funds for the capital’s public transport to expand paid parking zones in Sofia and increase the price per hour of parking. “The lack of funds for public transport should not be compensated by increasing the price of paid parking services, as I hear of intentions. We will not support the idea of introducing a ‘red zone’ for parking in the center that will cost double – expensive than the blue, he said. – This radical price increase is not fair and will hit everyone in the pocket”.
Ivan Takov assured that BSP is categorically against the idea of uniting the three independent companies – Electrotransport, Autotransport and Metropoliten – into one. “We know the work of these companies very well and we know that merging them will not lead to better results in the long term. In this case, the end does not justify the means,” he explained.
Vanya Grigorova commented on the topic of night city transport, which was also touched upon at the meeting. “My colleagues from KT “Support” have repeatedly emphasized that it would be great to have it, but only when the conditions for it are provided – both vehicles and personnel to serve the activity, said Vanya Grigorova. – As they drew attention and the representatives of FTR “Podkrepa”, at the moment, night transport is a luxury that we cannot afford, since day courses cannot be covered. Their demands for a 30% increase in wages and improvement of working conditions are prerequisites for better quality urban transport. That is why we will insist on more funds in the municipal budget for public transport. But the Minister of Finance should also realize that with the subsidy frozen for 2 years, transport cannot function normally. The municipal councilors from MK “BSP for Bulgaria” together with the workers’ representatives, we will insist on the adoption of a long-term program to ensure the sustainability of the companies. For us, urban transport has both a social, ecological and urban planning function”.
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