SAD employees fight for reduced bus fares

Employees of the Slovak Bus Transport Company (SAD) demanded to keep their right to reduced fares for them and their families. Allowances would however have to be provided by the regional governments. The Metal Trade Union Association supported the demand and announced a strike of bus drivers in June 2010. The employers’ representative, the Association of Bus Transport, also supported the drivers. All regional governments finally agreed to the demand for a fixed period and the strike was called off.

Employees’ demands

Workers at SAD wanted to keep their right to reduced fares for themselves and their families. They want to travel either free of charge or at a nominal price with, for example, children’s tickets costing only five cents and their husbands/wives paying a maximum 50% of the regular fare. The state, which had previously subsidised these reduced fares, transferred this responsibility to the self-governing regions. Bus workers say regional governments should allow for reduced fares in the contracts they negotiate with regional private transport companies.

Trade unions announce strike

Representatives of the Metal Trade Union Association (OZ KOVO) met separately with regional officials. In the regions of Trenčín in western Slovakia, Žilina in the northwest, Banská Bystrica in central Slovakia and Košice in the east of the country, agreements were reached over specific travel discounts for SAD staff. In Bratislava in southwestern Slovakia and Trnava in the west of the country, regional officials said they could not cover the cost of the discounts. They argued that SAD itself should pay for the discounted fares. In support of their demands, on 26 May, trade unions threatened strike action on the suburban bus lines.

Support for SAD employees

George Trabelssie, President of the Association of Bus Transport, agreed with the workers’ demands, saying: ‘I will be at the forefront of the strike.’ However, he said any stoppage of bus services would be illegal. He added: ‘They should draw attention to their rights by doing something else, for example, by using car horns, or by delays of several minutes to bus services.’ According to Mr Trabelssie, it would be a big mistake for regional governments to refuse to cover the cost of the travel discounts because workers would then demand higher wages and that would be much more expensive.

Emil Machyna, President of OZ Kovo, argued that a stoppage of services was the most effective form of strike.

Commentary

This action by OZ KOVO is the second of its kind taken by trade unions in recent times where they have had their demands met by threatening strike action (SK1004019I). In this case, negotiations over the reduced fares resulted in a fixed-term agreement until the end of 2010, and the bus drivers’ planned strike was thus called off. The regional governments have insisted on strict rules to ensure the discount system is not abused. The system of discount fares will be subject to further negotiations once the current agreement comes to an end.

Ludovít Cziria, Institute for Labour and Family Research