site.btaUPDATED Road Branch Trade Unions Demand Immediate Release of Sector Salary Funds

In a letter to Bulgarian state institutions received at BTA on Tuesday, chapters of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) demand immediate release of the funds for wages in the sector and their urgent update to cover the cumulative inflation in the country. Because of the threat of "company closure and permanent loss of workforce” they demand guarantees for the financial stability of Bulgarian construction companies by continuing work on all types of construction sites, the letter says. 

The deteriorating situation in the construction industry puts at risk the right to collective agreement at company and sectoral level, the trade unions state, declaring readiness to defend their demands by all means permitted by law, including through industrial action and strike action.

The risk of undelivered construction projects in Bulgaria is growing day by day, and this will lead to the loss of billions of planned investments, as well as to a spike in unemployment among Bulgarian construction workers, the letter says.

The letter is signed by the Federation of Independent Construction Trade Unions, the Bulgarian Branch Chamber Roads and the Avtomagistrali Cherno More Trade Union.

The letter is addressed to acting National Assembly Chair Miroslav Ivanov, outgoing Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, outgoing Finance Minister Assen Vassilev, outgoing Regional Development Minister Grozdan Karadzhov, to the chair of the Managing Board of the Bulgarian Construction Chamber, Ilian Terziev and Bulgarian Road Chamber President Stefan Chaikov.

On Monday, the Bulgarian Branch Chamber Roads said it is taking indefinite strike action across the country from July 27. The strike will continue until "government officials start to do what is necessary to bring the sector back to normal", the trade union stated.

Later on Tuesday, the Association of the Organizations of Bulgarian Employers (AOBE) in an open letter sent to the media, expressed its categorical support for the just demands and protests of the construction industry, including the road construction industry. If urgent measures are not taken, the normal functioning of the sector and the transport infrastructure in the country will be put at serious risk, including a risk to the lives and health of Bulgarian citizens, the Association pointed out.

Later in the day, the Bulgarian Construction Chamber (BCC) announced national protest actions together with the Bulgarian Branch Chamber Roads in defence of the interests of the Bulgarian construction industry. This was decided by the extended Management Board of the branch organization at a meeting on Tuesday. The protest will start at 9 am on Wednesday in front of the National Assembly, as well as throughout the country.