Transport workers in Sofia are gearing up for a protest on Thursday, January 18, organized by the Federation of Transport Trade Unions of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB). The rally aims to address various demands, primarily focusing on a 30% wage hike for public transport employees, improved working conditions, and measures to retain and recruit staff.

Federation Chairman Alexander Shopov stated that despite submitting their demands to the state and the municipality before the holidays, there has been no official response. The protest is initially planned to include CITUB members, but joint actions with the Confederation of Labour "Podkrepa" are being considered for the future.

Public transport workers submitted a declaration to Sofia Municipality on December 8, outlining their demands in over 20 points. A specific call to convene the council for social cooperation on transport has been made to the Mayor of Sofia, with a response still pending.

The key demand revolves around a substantial 30% increase in wages within the public transport sector, alongside a push for enhanced working conditions. The workers are also seeking measures to address staffing issues, including both retaining current employees and recruiting new ones.

In Sofia's electric mass transit system, the starting salary for a service worker stands at BGN 1,200. Shopov highlighted that the average gross salary for the capital exceeded BGN 2,700 last year. Additionally, he emphasized the significant percentage of public transport workers, estimated at around 40%, approaching retirement age. This poses a concern as vacancies left by retirees may face challenges in finding suitable replacements.

This upcoming protest follows a previous rally by CITUB on December 18, 2023, which resulted in road closures at "Orlov Most" due to dissatisfaction with public transport conditions.