Minister of Construction and Transport János Lázár personally negotiated with union representatives regarding potential wage hikes for Hungarian state railways (MÁV) and national bus service (Volán) employees. In his Facebook post, the minister stated that he made an offer regarding the extent and schedule of salary increases.
‘According to my proposal, over the course of three years, the salary of every MÁV–Volán employee would increase by at least a quarter (deviations upwards are possible, but not downwards). Additionally, this year, each employee would receive a uniform monthly salary increase of 70,000 Hungarian forints. We have agreed with the unions to continue negotiations in January and, if possible, conclude them,’ the Minister wrote.
MÁV issued a statement to MTI confirming the information shared by the minister. The majority of the unions requested time to formulate their positions together with the employees they represent and obtain a mandate for the negotiations in January, as communicated by MÁV.
Lázár previously spoke about the need to revamp the ticket and pass offerings of MÁV and Volánbusz, citing the current existence of numerous discounts and subsidies, resulting in over a hundred different ticket types. The primary objective of restructuring the tariff system is to simplify the ticket and pass system, encouraging more individuals to opt for environmentally friendly public transportation over cars. While Lázár has not disclosed specific details about the restructuring of the tariff system, he has expressed the desire to enable free access to trains and buses for those under 14, public employees, and those in disadvantaged situations.
The minister also previously indicated that the guiding principle of the new tariff system is connected to the overwhelming popularity of the county and nationwide passes introduced in May of last year. The key innovation of the two new monthly pass types is their validity for both MÁV trains and Volánbusz routes, essentially achieving the integration of railway and bus transportation with the unified national and county passes.
Therefore, the foundation of the new tariff system could pave the way for the introduction of ticket types allowing the combination of both railway and road-based public transportation. This would mark a significant milestone that has been pending for several decades, signifying tangible results for passengers as a result of the joint consolidation of MÁV and Volán into a common corporate group.
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Sources: Hungarian Conservative/MÁV/MTI
