Type
Internal restructuring
Country
Hungary
Region
Kozep-Magyarorszag; Kozep-Magyarorszag; Budapest
Location of affected unit(s)
Budapest
Sector
Transportation / Storage
Land, Water And Air Transportation
Land Transport And Transport Via Pipelines
49 - Land transport and transport via pipelines

460 jobs
Number of planned job losses
Job loss
Announcement Date
13 October 2010
Employment effect (start)
Foreseen end date

Description

Rail Cargo Hungary, a subsidiary of the Austrian National Railway, announced the collective redundancy of 460 employees in Hungary out of 3,000 employees. The company has initiated negotiations with the government about increasing rail track fees and announced a restructuring plan that envisages the dismissal of hundreds of employees. The company informed the Trade Union of Hungarian Railway workers and Free Trade Union of Railway Workers about the need of the restructuring, but in the negotiation they put pressure on the Trade Union by announcing that the alternative to the dismissals is liquidation.

Hungary's National Development Ministry which has some influence on the company's decisions - as Rail Cargo is connected to MÁV, the Hungarian State Railways Private Limited Company - said that the announced layoffs by Rail Cargo Hungary, the freight unit of Austrian railway company ÖBB, were unjustified because track fees have remained constant over the last six years and the planned increase in 2011 will essentially have no effect on the cargo segment of railway transportation.

MÁV Cargo Árufuvarozási Zrt. (MÁV Cargo Goods Transport Private Limited Company) the predecessor of Rail Cargo Hungary Zrt. was established on 1st January 2006 by Magyar Államvasutak Zrt. (Hungarian State Railways Private Limited Company) outsourcing its goods transporting activities. It achieved a market leading position in Hungary by its extended and quality services. MÁV Cargo Zrt. was sold to Rail Cargo Austria in 2008. Today Rail Cargo Hungary Zrt. as a member of Rail Cargo Austria Group is part of the third largest rail freight companies in Europe.


Sources

  • 13 November 2010: Vállalkozói Negyed
  • 14 October 2010: Világgazdaság

Citation

Eurofound (2010), Rail Cargo Hungary, Internal restructuring in Hungary, factsheet number 71142, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/71142.