Unionist Radoi: Subway protests are about salary cuts, layoffs, nothing to do with commercial spaces

The subway protests were organized as a result of the dissatisfaction of trade unionists caused by Metrorex's [the Bucharest subway company - editor's note] to reduce employees' salaries and lay off staff and has nothing to do with the situation of the commercial spaces, the head of the Unitatea - Sindicatul Liber din Metrou (USLM) trade union, Ion Radoi, told AGERPRES on Friday. "When there are talks of layoffs and cutting down salaries, one doesn't expect anything good. When they leave you without a job, when they leave you without a salary, with a 25pct cut, that is, you cannot really accept it. A few days have passed and, I wasn't quite sure how far they'll go [the trade unions - editor's note] and here they are [the protest action - editor's note]," said Ion Radoi. The USLM leader claimed that the situation of the subway commercial spaces is politically speculated by the leadership of the Ministry of Transport. "The fact that they [the Ministry of Transport - editor's note] want to suggest it like this, that this is about what this company means to the trade union, with the spaces, that's another matter. It's a lie. They have speculated this politically. (...) they want to cut some of the rights too, from the income of the employees, who work day and night, and in the weekends too, and on holidays too. This is the reason [behind the protests - editor's note]. The fact that they have come up with this too, at this point [with the idea of removing the commercial spaces from the subway - editor's note], this was only the cherry on top, and it is because the general manager was an administrator at Obor Square and he is used to doing business," Ion Radoi said. AGERPRES (RO - author: George Coman; editor: Nicoleta Gherasi, EN - author: Cristina Zaharia, editor: Adina Panaitescu)