Berceanu: The railway system deludes everyone

03-09-2010 11:30

Romanian Minister of Transport Radu Berceanu commented on the dismissals at CFR and said that it's wrong to still have “a railway system that deludes everyone, but with a high number of well-paid employees, who benefit from all types of facilities”.
He mentioned that it's not normal for a society that has recorded half the amount of revenues obtained in 2008 to have the same number of employees, as long as those who stay “dip into the public money”.
“As long as they stay there, they spend your money. I mean, they work for the state and, as long as they stay there and they don't have enough money, they don't pay taxes, electricity, fuel. We cannot continue to accept this situation. This is not the normal way in which things should be done”, explained Berceanu the dismissal of 10.000 employees from CFR.
He showed that this figure of 10.000 was established last year and that “we have discussed the matter thoroughly”. The lists of dismissals were developed together with the unions.
Berceanu also said that, in the last 10-20 years, major investments were made in railway transport and “new technologies emerged”.
“We cannot continue to operate a railway system that deludes everyone, but has a high number of well-paid employees, who benefit from all types of facilities. This is not good”, added Berceanu. According to him, the revenues and expenses should be balanced.
When asked id the railway sector will be affected by these dismissals, Berceanu said: “Yes, the railway sector will be affected: it will work better”.
“I am sorry, but this is the reality. Always when in a place the number of employees is too high, aside from the high expenses, the activity plummets”, added Berceanu.
Over 10.300 employees from CFR will be laid off, of which 4.000 starting Monday and the rest in April. As soon as the work contract ceases, the employees dismissed will receive two average net wages, the unemployment compensation and an additional revenue for a period of 12-50 months.

Source: www.mediafax.ro

Other news from Romania ► Public authorities ►

• AIF attends the debate on transport infrastructures organised by Realitatea FM
• Romanian Government sets cost standards for investment objectives financed through public funds
• Mehedinţi prefect demands speeding up works on CFR Bucharest-Timişoara line
• Adriana Ţicău: “This last year, the industrial production decreased”
• Romanian Ministry of Transport will manage lands for the modernisation of Bucharest-Constanţa route
• Romania offers guarantees for public institutions who want to access European funds
• BNR reduced the interest rate from 7% to 6.5%
• Passenger transport must be liberalised at national and international level
• Independent railway regulatory body to be set up in Romania
• Romania: the additional acts to the activity contract of railway passenger transport operators were submitted to public debates