Increase in salaries by 30% and equalization of the status of forest workers who work in the field with firefighters and police officers. This is what the Confederation of Labor "Podkrepa" insists on.
The union warned of social tension among workers in state-owned forestry and hunting farms and is demanding an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov in order to take measures to financially stabilize the system.
The Chairperson of the National Federation "Agriculture and Forestry" at the "Podkrepa" Confederation of Trade Unions, Anelia Ivanova pointed out that the average salary in the sector is between 1,600 and 1,800 leva:
"We are in a situation during the fire season - our people are either on fire, extinguishing and protecting the forest, or on the streets to defend our human and labor rights. Either way, in the state-owned forestry and hunting farms we have undertaken the necessary procedure under the Law on Settlement of Collective Labor Disputes. And our people on the ground, if they are ready to conduct effective strike actions, they are ready according to the law - so whatever people on the ground say - that will be it".
According to the union, nearly 7,500 people work in the system, and for 2025 an additional 15 million leva are needed from the state budget to fulfill the demands.