The Mongolian Rail Workers’ Trade Union is protesting against the increased tax rate on personal income that came into effect on 1 January 2018. Under the three-year-arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government agreed to increase the income tax rate of individuals with a monthly salary of more than MNT1.5 million incrementally from 15, 20, and 25 percent.

Rail workers’ union boss B.Bayaraa, said that with the Mongolian trade union leaders have been discussing the proposed income tax increase the heads of the government standing committees and the prime minister since October. However, their demands have not been met. As a result, they are calling for further industrial action.

Over 7000 railway employees work day and night in very harsh working conditions: 30 percent of them are women. The Mongolia and Russian Joint Stock Rail Company has 15,000 employees; over 400 are considered to work conditions which are harmful to their health.