The employees of the Bucharest overground public transport company STB went on a spontaneous strike on the morning of Thursday, January 20, asking for salary increases and better working conditions.

More than 1,400 buses, trolleybuses and trams didn’t go into service, leading to the crowding of subway stations and increased demand for ride-sharing services. (Photo by Octav Ganea/ Inquam Photos) Metrorex, the operator of the Bucharest subway, said it would introduce all available trains and shorten as much as possible the wait times at peak hours.

Negotiations between the union and the STB management are scheduled for this afternoon, News.ro reported.

The STB director Adrian Criț and Bucharest mayor Nicușor Dan both called the strike illegal and said legal complaints would be filed.

The mayor explained that, according to legal provisions, a third of the public transport’s capacity should be available, which was not the case. He also called the strike a “political one” and said he was open to talks with the STB employees but not the union leaders.  

(Photo: Octav Ganea/ Inquam Photos)

simona@romania-insider.com