Negotiations between the trade union and the management of the Metrorex Bucharest underground operator over a collective labour agreement will continue until consensus is reached, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Sorin Grindeanu said on Thursday.

A new round of negotiations between the management of Metrorex and the trade unions took place on Thursday at the headquarters of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure (MTI), with the participation of Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Sorin Grindeanu, and Bucharest District 4 Mayor Daniel Baluta.

The unions unveiled the requests of the employees that regard pay, staffing and other contractual rights. All parties agreed that discussions would continue until a consensus was reached.

„The negotiations between employers and trade unions will continue. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu gave assurances that the executive will support any viable solution that will not unbalance the operation of Metrorex, both in terms of the operation of the company’s services and in terms of the available budgets. Basically, the role of the discussions is precisely to find the best options for Metrorex employees, but also for travellers! As I have said before, I am optimistic that we will quickly identify a solution by mutual agreement, so as not to reach deadlock,”Grindeanu is quoted as saying in a press statement.

October 31 was the deadline that the Metro Union – USLM – set for the completion of the discussions with the Metrorex management on a collective labour agreement. Initially, it was October 14. USLM Chairman Marian Artimon told AGERPRES on October 27 that if the negotiations fail, a general strike could be called in a maximum of three weeks, on the very day when Metrorex will mark 45 years since its establishment, namely November 19.

In her turn, Metrorex general manager Mariana Miclaus said two days ago that the negotiations with the social dialogue partners for the conclusion of the new collective labour agreement will continue and „we will have the necessary wisdom so that the citizens do not suffer.’

On Thursday, the USLM leader told AGERPRES that the negotiations went badly and that at the moment they are deadlocked.

AGERPRES