Railway workers have had enough of regular abuse and are demanding firm legal measures and stronger police protection against the increasingly aggressive attacks by passengers – announced the Railway Workers’ Union on Wednesday via MTI.
According to the statement, the Railway Workers’ Union has sent a letter reminding Minister János Lázár that in February, he promised to seriously consider options for ensuring the effective protection of railway employees.
The union expects lawmakers to start addressing this increasingly dangerous phenomenon with urgency and appropriate consequences. It also reminded Justice Minister Bence Tuzson of the need for necessary legislative measures.
They wrote that railway workers performing their duties are facing a growing number of increasingly severe physical and verbal assaults. While the union condemns the perpetrators, it has no other tool to protect the victims than to repeatedly request and demand significantly more effective protection than what currently exists.
János Meleg, president of the Railway Workers’ Union, stated that the situation is not only deeply discouraging but also increasingly dangerous.
He recalled a recent case that shocked public opinion: a passenger without a ticket poured food on a ticket inspector, then kicked and punched him multiple times after being asked to purchase a valid fare. The assaulted railway worker sustained serious injuries.
Therefore, the union president has written again to János Lázár, Minister of Construction and Transport, reminding him of his promise from February to explore ways to strengthen the police protection of railway workers.
The president noted that several weeks have passed since the promise was made – enough time to develop an action plan that would finally provide real guarantees that incidents like the one on April 15 never happen again.
(MTI)
