No strike, earnings in installments

The management of the Railway Transport of Montenegro (ŽPCG) promised the workers that they will pay the December and January salaries by the beginning of March.

Yesterday, the management of the company met with the Representative Union of ŽPCG and offered them to pay the December salary in two installments, the first half today, and the second on February 19.

The workers were ready to go on strike due to unpaid wages, but they abandoned that idea after an agreement with the company.

Union secretary Mirko Rmandić told "Vijesta" yesterday that they accepted the company's offer, and that the January salary will still be negotiated.

"We discussed the entire situation in the company and reached an agreement. Taking into account the current financial situation in Railway Transport, we have accepted that the debts for December will be paid in two installments. We will still talk about the January salary", Rmandic said.

According to unofficial information from "Vijesti", the management offered to pay them their January salaries by the beginning of March.

ŽPCG, headed by Milojica Zindović, replied to "Vijesta" that they agreed on the method of payment of wages, but did not specify how much they owe, nor how they will pay back wages to their workers.

"After detailed discussions and explanations from the management of the Railway Transport, the meeting ended with mutually beneficial conclusions. At the meetings, the method of payment of arrears was agreed upon and the possibility of providing funds for the payment of regular wages was indicated," the response to "Vijesta" states.

They explained that the earnings are late because the contract on the obligation of public transport between ŽPCG and the state, which defines the amounts of compensation on this basis, has not yet been signed. They claim that the state does not make any payments without a defined contract, which, they claim, will soon be signed.

"According to the representatives of the representative union, the workers convey to the state authorities that they should better understand the role and place of the Railway Transport of Montenegro, whose main activity is the transport of passengers, and adjust ticket prices according to the paying capacity of passengers who use the train as a means of transport, and we primarily mean the workers , pupils, students and pensioners. Because the subsidy that the Railway Transport of Montenegro receives is below the European criteria of all railways that are engaged in the transportation of passengers", they pointed out from ŽPCG.

The train drivers will think about it about the proposal

Several unofficial sources of "Vijesti" have confirmed that the management of ŽPCG held a special meeting with train drivers yesterday, who are the most threatened by delayed salaries.

The same sources claim that the Magistrates have not yet accepted the proposal of the ŽPCG, but that they will consider it at one of the next meetings.

"Drivers have a great responsibility, because they drive a large number of passengers. They must be rested and concentrated on work, which can be difficult if they have not received their salary for two months", said the source of "Vijesti".