Employees of the state-owned company “Moldova’s Railways (CFM), organized by the Trade Union Federation of Railway Workers, took to the streets to seek the payment of their salaries that are 5-6 months overdue, IPN reports.
Representatives of the CFM, gathered in the Great National Assembly Square, repeatedly requested an audience with the authorities.
"We came together to denounce an injustice, which has been going on for too long, and to demand that our salaries that we deserve for the work done and effort made be paid," said CFM employees.
In addition to the salary arrears, the railway workers also complain about the low salaries, claiming that "they are the most miserable ones in the public sector".
There are problems related to the blocking of financial resources, goods or lawsuits, said Nicolae Bulat, the representative of the Chisinau station. He noted that "the company should not finance itself, but should be financially supported by the state."
The Federation of Railway Workers in the protest is supported by a number of trade unionist institutions, including the Federation of Construction Unions. Representatives of construction unions said that the non-payment of salaries for more than two months is considered forced labor, and the government should not allow this right to be violated.
Secretary of state for transport Mircea Păscăluță went out in front of the protesters to tell them that the authorities are aware of the problem of salary arrears and that they are making efforts to solve it.
"We stand by the railway sector and our priority is to provide salaries to all the CFM employees," said Mircea Păscăluță.
He told about the investments made by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development in the railway sector and about the joint efforts made by the authorities and the CFM’s administration to make it possible to pay salaries and ensure the company works further.
After protesting for two hours in front of the Government Building, the CFM employees went to the Presidential Palace to continue the demonstration.
"In the last 10-15 years, the state-owned company “Moldova’s Railways” has been managed with a lot of negligence, and the situation created is due to the lack of vision in management. Today, the CFM’s administration is making every effort to remedy the situation, and the payment of employees' salaries and the elimination of financial losses are the zero priority," reads a press release issued by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development.