Moldovan railway workers protest over unpaid salaries
Railway workers in Moldova are once again protesting due to unpaid wages, highlighting the serious issues faced by the country's railway system.
Protesting rail workers head for the Presidency
Demonstrators demand government support: 'People have nothing to eat, children have nothing to go to school with'
The protest began at 10:00 AM, with union leaders warning that the situation at Moldovan Railways (CFM) is critical. A lack of diesel fuel and logistical challenges are disrupting train operations, while underfunding is jeopardizing the entire railway system.
Some of the protesters spoke about the difficult situation faced by CFM employees, who have not received their salaries for several months. "We voted for them, they told us that good times would come. And now? People don’t have food, children can’t go to school. We need the government's help, we are still a state-owned enterprise. If the state needs the railways, it should help us!" said a woman from the Bălți railway hub. She mentioned that workers haven't been paid for six months.
Promises for rail workers: three salaries will be paid in the next two months
The Minister of Infrastructure and the new head of CFM, Sergiu Cotelnic, addressed the protesters, announcing that the priority of the leadership is to settle the overdue salaries. According to them, three months' worth of unpaid wages will be paid in the next two months, and CFM will receive diesel from the government’s reserve.
Vladimir Bolea also stated that the government plans to revive CFM operations through investments in infrastructure: "We want to load the railways with work, and to do that, we need to repair the segment from Văleni."
Protesters are calling for urgent intervention by the authorities to pay the outstanding salaries, enforce labor laws, and increase the minimum wage to 5500 lei. Otherwise, many of them threaten to suspend their employment contracts.
This protest comes just two days after hundreds of employees at the Bălți railway hub suspended their work in protest, with some submitting resignation requests.
Similar issues have been reported at the Ocnița railway hub, where all employees will suspend their activities starting March 17 if their salaries are not paid.
To address the situation, the state could allocate 400 million lei annually for five years to maintain and modernize the railway network, based on a multi-year contract to be signed between the Ministry of Infrastructure and Moldovan Railways, as outlined in a public consultation document. This funding, which will come from the state budget and external funds, is seen as an opportunity to revitalize Moldova’s railway system. However, experts warn that the success of this project also depends on effective leadership, capable of leveraging market opportunities and ensuring sustainable management of the funds.
It should be noted that on February 14, several hundred railway workers protested in Chișinău, in front of the Government, Parliament, and the Presidential Institution. On the same day, other CFM employees protested at the main railway hubs in the regions. Subsequently, on February 28, protests continued by employees at the Basarabeasca and Bălți stations.
The financial problems of Moldovan Railways began in 2009 when freight transport dropped by more than half. The decline continued in 2016, and in 2022, the situation worsened even further when railway transit from Ukraine significantly decreased with the reopening of the Odesa port. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Regional Development announced that salary arrears for August 2024 may be paid soon, but the debts will be settled in stages. At the same time, authorities are trying to reduce costs by implementing modernization projects.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
