Untitled Document

NEWS

THE WORKERS OF RAILROAD CAR FACTORY – KRALJEVO WENT ON STRIKE
RAILROAD CARS WITHOUT LOCOMOTIVE

Kraljevo, January 30, 2007. The director of Railroad Car Factory ''Kraljevo'', Rodoljub Maricic, submitted his irrevocable resignation yesterday after about 800 employees went on a general strike demanding that the Factory owner, ''Dombas'' Corporation from Ukraine, paid out outstanding earnings and vacation allowances to them, in the amount of Din. 93 million.

Rodoljub Maricic resigned only a few minutes after the Press Conference at which he explained how the crisis in the Railroad Car Factory would be overcome. Maricic said to journalists prior to handing in his resignation that he agreed with the representatives of Serbian Government on Tuesday that a new drawing account should be opened, to which the Factory owner would pay in the money for the workers which the creditors could not draw from the account.

He stated that the Railroad Car Factory owed to ''Energogas'' and public utility companies a sum of Din. 1,16 billion, but that creditors didn't report the debts, so that they would be paid to them. Maricic stressed that the Factory expected a big deal with some French company, worth €460 million, and that the strike was unnecessary.

However, the workers gathered in a hall in front of the director's office and called him to come out. After that, the President of ''Nezavisnost'' Union, Milomir Cirkovic, showed the director's written resignation to workers that gathered.

Cirkovic pointed out that the new owner of privatized Railroad Car Factory did not fulfill the obligation of investing € 6,5 million in this Factory in the next five years, adding that the Ukrainians have invested nothing in the production so far. During the last year ''Dombas'' was obliged to invest about € 1,5 million in this Factory, but it didn't do this, although it owed Din. 93 million to the workers for earnings, vacation allowances and other benefits – said Cirkovic. According to the words of workers' representatives, the strike will be continued until all debts are paid.

On this occasion, Milomir Cirkovic emphasized that the Railroad Car Factory Kraljevo entered the privatization with a debt of Din. 1 billion to ''Energogas'', banks, Funds and public utility companies. The state has undertaken the obligation to pay this debt, but it didn't do that, so the Factory's giro-account is blocked. Even if the funds for payment of employees' earnings and vacation allowances would be paid to the Factory's account, they would firstly be allocated for payment of debts to creditors – explained Cirkovic. (''Press'', January 25, 2007)

Home

About us

Membership

International Cooperation

The media columnr

Legal protection

Forum

Contacts