Monthly wages of State Railways go down as part of their allowances is subjected to new taxes.
 
The wages decreased by an average of 30 leva since the beginning of 2007  when a tax on food allowances was introduced,  unions leaders said. Food allowances form a big part of the wages of State Railways employees.
 
In July 2007 a tax will be put on traveling allowances, which equal nearly 20 per cent of railmen’s monthly salaries, mediapool.bg said.
 
Railmen required an increase of at least 30 per cent of their wages and threatened to start a national strike if their demands were left unsatisfied.
 
Union representative Yordan Manov said that “no one could expect that railmen’s patience borders on foolishness.”
 
Syndicates wanted differentiation in the wages, corresponding to the responsibility of the job, mediapool.bg said.
 
In the beginning of March 2007 National Railway Infrastructure Company and Bulgarian State Railways offered a 10 per cent increase of the wages in 2007 and another 10 per cent increase in the beginning of 2008.