The salaries of BDZ and NRIC employees will be increased from 1 January 2024. For the employees of NRIC and BDZ-Passenger Transport the increase is 19.6%, while for the employees of BDZ-Freight Transport it will be 10% from January 2024 and another 9.6% from April 2024. This is made possible with additional funds provided in the Budget 2024.
More than 2 months ago, during a meeting with railway workers from all over the country, Minister Georgi Gvozdeykov made a commitment that with the new budget, opportunities will be sought to update wages and improve working conditions in the railway. ‘Today this increase is already a fact and from January 2024 almost 18,000 employees will work under better conditions,’ the transport minister said after the adoption of the MTC budget.
The Collective Labour Agreement between the management of BDZ and the trade unions has already been signed, which provides for a 19.62% wage increase for the employees of BDZ Holding EAD and BDZ-Passenger Transport EOOD. For the employees of ‘BDZ-Freight Transport’ EOOD the growth will be in two stages. From the beginning of next year the increase will be 10% and from April 2024 an update by another 9.62% is planned. The value of the food allowance (the so-called food vouchers) has also changed, from BGN 150 to BGN 200 for all employees of the national railway carrier.
With the changes made next year the salary of a locomotive driver will start from BGN 1654, of a train manager — from BGN 1519. The minimum salary of a station manager from 1 January will be BGN 1,725 and of the staff responsible for the maintenance of the railway — BGN 2,011.
