site.btaTrade Union Members Demand Pay Rise, Block Main Street of Veliko Tarnovo

Members of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) Thursday blocked the main street of Veliko Tarnovo demanding an income increase. More than 50 members of various union branches joined the rally, with some carrying placards demanding a minimum wage of BGN 850 (up from BGN 710 now), 80% coverage of collective agreements and worthy wages.

CITUB President Plamen Dimitrov commented that the union's campaign aims to get all wages adjusted for inflation by the year's end. The campaign is mottoed "My December wage should be 20% up on December 2021". Talks are under way with the private sector, state-financed institutions and local government.

CITUB and the Podkrepa Confederation of Labour have asked to meet with President Rumen Radev next week and discuss the 2023 budget parameters. "As things stand, he is the strong figure in Bulgaria and the drafting of a 2023 budget largely depends on what he will ask the caretaker cabinet appointed by him to do," Dimitrov said. He stressed the draft budget must be introduced by the end of October and adopted by the new Parliament, even if no government is formed.

The trade unions demand a minimum monthly wage of BGN 850 and an income increase of at least 12-15% in 2023.

It emerged from a meeting with the town's mayor Daniel Panov, who chairs the National Association of the Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria, that they want a 25% increase in the financing of all delegated activities. This dovetails with the trade unions' demand that all state-financed activities get an additional compensation for the energy prices under a State Budget Act revision already submitted by the caretaker cabinet to Parliament, Dimitrov said.

Veliko Tarnovo is the 19th town where CITUB's campaign is taking place and people are spelling out that they are concerned about prices, wages and the coming winter, rather than about dismissals in Sofia, said Dimitrov, adding: "There is a formula for Parliament to vote the finances people need for their living expenses and wages.