Train traffic was brought to a standstill for one hour this morning at the Fushë Kosovë railway station as the Railway Workers’ Union “Trainkos” initiated a symbolic protest over long-standing wage grievances.
The protest commenced at 8:00 AM, resulting in the suspension of train circulation for a full hour.
The primary reason for the demonstration is the low level of wages, which, according to union representatives, have not increased in 15 years.
The head of the Union, Florim Gjyrevci, told Telegrafi news outlet that if their wages are not increased, such protests will continue in the future. “The protest is ongoing, it will last for one hour. The protest is being held at the Fushë Kosovë train station. The train has stopped and the locomotive has been turned off. We will continue with protests in the future if wages are not increased,” Gjyrevci stated.
The protest also garnered support from “Infrakos,” the railway infrastructure company. The head of the “Infrakos” Union, Hysen Nikçi, declared that their sole demand is a pay raise and that this symbolic action serves as a final warning to responsible institutions before a full-scale strike planned for May 26th if their demands are not met.
“Today is the second protest, ‘Trainkos’ and ‘Infrakos’ are protesting for a wage increase. Today we have gathered to call on both the board and the government to resolve our issues. Both companies demand a wage increase. This is the second protest that has yielded no results. Today we protested for one hour, perhaps it will reach their ears more. They have one week to reflect. If not, from Monday there will be a total blockade,” Nikçi declared.
It is worth recalling that a similar protest was held last month, where the train was stopped for only 15 minutes, in contrast to today’s hour-long stoppage. This escalation in protest action underscores the growing frustration and determination of railway workers to secure a long-overdue pay increase.
