Slovak Train Drivers Threaten Mass Resignations Over Planned Cockpit Cameras

A dispute between locomotive drivers and Slovakia's Ministry of Transport has intensified over government plans to install surveillance cameras inside train cabs. Trade unions representing drivers are firmly opposed to the measure, and the head of a petition committee has warned that the policy could trigger a wave of resignations among experienced senior drivers. Transport Minister Ráž has signaled he has no intention of backing down from the plan. The potential loss of veteran drivers is seen as particularly serious because older, experienced locomotive operators play a critical role in the hands-on training of new recruits. A mass departure of this group could therefore deepen an existing shortage of qualified train drivers and undermine efforts to bring new personnel into the profession. The standoff reflects a broader tension in Slovak transport policy between management oversight — which the ministry argues is necessary for safety and accountability — and workers' rights concerns over privacy and surveillance in the workplace. With neither side showing willingness to compromise, the dispute risks disrupting rail operations in a country where train travel is a significant mode of public transport.