Tbilisi Transport Company allocates 1mln GEL for Metro staff to prevent strike
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Thursday, April 7
One million GEL was allocated by the Tbilisi Transport Company for employees of Tbilisi Metropolitan before the subway drivers announced their intention to strike if their demand of a salary increase of at least 20% is not met.
The Metropolitan Company said metro staff would receive supplements based on their merit and years in the service, which did not include a salary increase for specifically for drivers who had announced the strike.
“Despite the fact that our transport company has limited financial resources, with the efforts of the company’s leadership 1 million GEL was allocate for payment of metropolitan employees for per working year,” reads the statement released by the Transport Company.
Tbilisi subway drivers made a statement on April 4 in which they demanded increased salaries and improved working conditions. According to their statement, in the event that their demands are not met, they would stop working on April 8, which would cause the total paralysis of the subway.
The company said there were not enough resources for the increase of drivers’ salaries.
“There are over 6, 000 employees in our company. Their payment is 65% of total profits. We cannot increase salaries only for train operators. In that case we should increase it for every single employee. Unfortunately, we cannot afford this at the moment,” reads the statement, and added that drivers' salaries range between 900-1900 Gel.
The Transport Company called on the metropolitan employees to fully appreciate their responsibility to society.
“Over 300,000 people use metro daily. Metropolitan employees should understand what the consequences of their actions will be,” reads the statement.
