Solidarity, Strike, Bulgaria
South East European unions see high energy prices eating into purchasing power
The message of the unions in South East Europe was the same as at the other 3 constituency meetings in Eastern Europe and Central Asia: high prices for energy and how these are passed on to other products and services, impact on people’s bills and purchasing power.
Health insurance workers take action over pay and jobs
Over 1500 employees of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) took part in a one-hour warning strike on 13 June organised by trade unions in the CITUB and Podkrepa confederations. The unions are calling for an increase on the basic salaries of all NHIF employees and the creation of at least 200 new full-time positions to ensure that the service can copes with new demand on the NHIF. The unions estimate that an extra BGN 10 million (€5.1m) is needed to cover these costs and wants to ensure that this is include in the NHIF budget for 2022. NHIF workers are highly qualified specialists
Protest over sick leave and social workers strike over pay
Public service unions joined the national protest on 27 November calling for action to defend and improve sickness absence rules. Under the slogan "sick workers are not criminals" the Podkrepa confederation called for workers to be covered by sick pay from the first day of absence and for a range of other measures on sick leave and working time. Meanwhile on the same day social workers from the administrative services union in Podkrepa took an hour's strike action calling for a 40% pay increase.
EPSU and EFBWW support for protests Bulgarian unions
Bulgarian unions are organising actions and protests to demand the government takes steps to ensure decent living and working conditions for workers and families in the country. Podkrepa unions are organising a national-wide protest rally on 27th November 2019.