Bulgarian unions to march

International Metalworkers' Federation, IMF News, 13 March 2000

Annual procession will take place against a backdrop of hard times in the country.

BULGARIA: Two IMF affiliates, the Metal-Electro National Trade Union Federation and Metalicy Trade Union, have written a joint letter to report that their traditional annual protest march has taken on wider significance, as not just the metal unions but the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions will be organising the event this year.

The procession, to protest the difficult economic situation facing all workers in the country, will take place in Sofia on March 22. Key demands are once again for better pay and protection of trade union rights and for reducing the extremely high 25 per cent rate of unemployment.

The IMF expresses its solidarity with the national Bulgarian protest action and the justified demands of the Bulgarian trade unions.