Railways Trade Union: ZSR Initiated Collective Agreement Meeting for 22 October

Bratislava, 19 October (TASR) - The management of state-owned railway infrastructure operator ZSR has initiated a meeting with negotiators from the Railways Trade Union's (OZZ) branch operating at ZSR for Thursday (22 October) in order to discuss a mediator's proposal for a collective agreement, OZZ announced on social media on Monday. OZZ in ZSR has been on strike alert since 14 October after failing to reach an agreement with the company's management regarding salary increases for 2026 and 2027, even in the presence of a mediator. OZZ firmly rejected Transport Minister Jozef Raz's (a Smer-SD nominee) statements on the 'Na telo' talk show on TV Markiza on Sunday (18 October), when he said that negotiations with ZSR management were ongoing and that a preliminary agreement had been reached. "This statement is not true," said Robert Visvader, the chair of the OZZ's branch at ZSR, who added that no negotiations are being held and no preliminary agreement has been reached. "The strike alert remains in effect. Any negotiations will be conducted only through official channels with legitimately elected OZZ representatives," stressed Visvader, adding that ZSR employees and the public would be informed of the outcome. According to an excerpt from the TV show published by the Train Dispatchers Trade Union Association (OAVD), Raz said that "the management is holding discussions with them. We already have solutions, and believe me, I trust there'll be no strike because we've already reached a preliminary agreement". OAVD commented that making such a public statement takes great courage. "It's a shame that the minister did not say whom he had actually reached an agreement with. If he wanted to calm the mood among ZSR employees, he probably didn't quite succeed - or perhaps this was pre-election marketing at any cost," added OAVD. In a joint statement, sixteen trade union organisations operating in state-owned railway companies have already announced a protest of railway sector employees for 12 November outside Bratislava's main railway station, from where participants will walk to Freedom Square near the Transport Ministry. The protest is aimed at protecting employees' rights, working conditions and social certainties. jrg /mcs