HUNGARIAN BUS AND RAIL WORKERS TAKE ACTION

RMTnews :: january 2008 :: www.rmt.org.uk 24 R ailway workers in Hungary launched strike action recently in protest over government plans to shut down a number of railway lines as part of the government’s mass privatisation programme. Members of the countries two largest rail unions walked out on strike on 21 November across the country to fight against the proposed closure of 38 lines run by the soon-to-be- privatised state railway company. Rail Cargo Austria has already won the tender in the privatisation of Hungarian rail freight business MAV Cargo. The government claims the lines are making huge losses every year, echoing arguments used to shut down railway routes in Britain in the 1960s. The planned closures ignore the fact that small and rural lines gave people access to major routes. Hungarian unions believe some 1200 workplaces could be affected by the closures. The six-hour rail strike was followed by demonstrations by other trade unionists and opposition party supporters, protesting against proposals to slash public spending to meet EU requirements for entry to the eurozone. Last month, bus workers in Hungary also took to the streets following the announcement of government proposals to withdraw the right of bus drivers to early retirement. N orth Koreans wave as the first South Korean freight train arrives at Panmun Station in the North Korean border city of Kaesong on December 11, 2007. The train’s arrival was the first regular cargo train service in more than a half-century across the heavily militerised border. The two Korea’s are still technically in a state of war which began in June 25, 1950 until a ceasefire agreement was signed on July 27, 1953. TALKS AFTER MASSIVE FRENCH STRIKES T he CGT rail workers’ union, by far the biggest of France’s eight rail unions, and the smaller CGC withdrew their strike warning after management agreed to their demand for a new negotiations timetable. The talks involve compensatory measures for rail workers following the government’s new laws that raise the number of years of contributions for a full pension to 41 years by 2012. At present, rail workers can retire at 55 after 37.5 years of national insurance contributions. Drivers can retire on full pension at 50. A powerful 36-hour stoppage on October 18 that halted national rail traffic and urban transport networks throughout France was followed by a week-long strike from 13 November. The government has refused to withdraw the measure but caved in to union demands for high- level talks to put extensive compensatory measures in place. BELGIAN UNION ACTION FOR WORKING CONDITIONS A n independent Belgian rail union said it would continue to wage a series of strikes over working conditions. Although the OVS-SIC is smaller than its counterparts, it organises a large number of engineers and its actions will continue to be significant in freight and passenger traffic both on domestic and international routes. STRIKE: A banner reading "Strike" is seen in front of the standing trains at the empty Keleti (Eastern) railway station in Budapest as railway workers in Hungary began a strike that hit both local and international rail traffic. HUNGARIAN BUS AND RAIL WORKERS TAKE ACTION KOREAN PEACE TRAIN