Tbilisi metro closed because of drivers' strike

Today, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has announced that during the strike declared by metro drivers who demand a salary increase, residents of the Georgian capital can use buses for free. The City Mayor has also noted that the authorities do not intend to meet the strikers' demands.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 2, the metro drivers carried out a preventive action and demanded from the administration of the "Tbilisi Transport Company" to increase the pay from 7 laris (about 2.8 US dollars) to 10 laris (about 4 US dollars) per hour. The protestors threatened that if no agreement with the company was reached within three weeks, they would begin a strike. However, on May 21, the court forbade them to strike.

Today, despite the decision of the court, drivers of the Tbilisi metro have declared a strike.

All the metro stations are closed because of the strike, and there are announcements at the entrances reading: "The metro is closed. Please, use buses. Buses will serve you for free!" the "InterPressNews" reports.

The strike was organized by the "Ertoba 2013" trade union for metro drivers. The protesters intend to continue their strike until their demands are met, the "First Georgian" TV Channel reports.

Today, at an emergency briefing, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has announced that for the duration of the metro drivers' strike, buses will serve Tbilisi residents free of charge.

The City Mayor has condemned the metro drivers' actions and said that a decision to increase salaries for the metro drivers would be an injustice to other employees of municipal services.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.