Up to a quarter of public transport vehicles may not be able to operate during the strike of Vilnius Public Transport (VVT) drivers that is starting on December 5, Vilnius Mayor Remigijus Simasius says.
“In the worst-case scenario, about a quarter of public transport vehicles will not go out,” Simasius told a press conference on December 2.
Darius Aleknavicius, Director General of VTT, said that 35% of the company’s employees were planning to go on strike, mostly bus drivers.
“A good hour ago, we received the union’s lists of employees planning to take part in the strike, and the total number of employees on the list is 437, 432 of them bus and trolleybus drivers,” Aleknavicius said.
The action will affect buses on December 5, while trolleybus schedules are not expected to change significantly.
“The majority of bus drivers will be on strike, trolleybus drivers to a lesser extent, so their schedules will hopefully be secured to a greater extent,” said Aleknavicius.
Mayor Simasius, however, said he hoped the strike would be called off.
“I would like to invite the drivers to rethink their decision and not to go on strike, to ensure services for Vilnius residents,” said Simasius.
He also said that some of the union’s demands had been met: pay raises, longer lunch breaks and rest breaks.
“The management has certainly put a lot of effort to improve the working conditions and just a few days ago the drivers received a pay rise and there are plans for further raises,” the mayor said.
A strike by drivers of Vilnius Public Transport will start on December 5 amid disagreements between the administration and the trade union over pay.
VVT operates 76 out of 105 public transport routes in the capital: five express buses, 17 trolleybuses and 54 buses. Two other operators, Transrevis and Kautra, also run passenger transport services.
Vilnius public transport authorities have warned about the possibility of traffic congestion and delays, advising travelers to plan their trips accordingly or walk if possible.
Algirdas Markevicius, the head of the VVT trade union, said that according to the latest information, a total of over 460 workers were taking part in the strike action. As the company will not pay wages during the strike, the union is prepared to pay each striker 40 euros a day.
“The striking drivers will meet on Monday in the Verkiai department’s assembly hall to discuss further plans for public action and other issues. We will discuss how the workers will behave during the strike – whether they will be at home or whether we will organise any rallies,” said the trade union representative.
He said the union apologized to passengers for the inconvenience.
“There will probably be a lot of inconvenience at peak times, and we understand that some passengers may not be able get into a bus. So passengers should be patient and plan their journeys, preferably during off-peak times,” said the union leader.
According to Markevicius, the trade union has the support of other organisations and is considering organising a rally together with them, which will have to be coordinated with the municipality. (LRT/Business World Magazine)
