Budapest - A strike that has crippled Hungary's rail network since since will continue indefinitely, the leader of the country's largest rail union, Istvan Gasko, said on Wednesday after the latest meeting with representatives of Hungarian State Railways (MAV).

For the fourth day in a row, railway stations across Hungary were largely deserted on Thursday morning as the Railway Workers' Free Trade Union (VDSZSZ) continued a strike that began on Sunday.

Although the union only represents about a quarter of MAV employees, the level of disruption and uncertainty over which trains will run and which stations will be in operation has kept many passengers away.

Gasko repeated on Thursday a pledge that a full rail service will be provided over Christmas, from December 24 to 26.

The first four days of the strike cost MAV over 150 million forints (800,000 dollars) in revenue, the rail firm said in a statement on Thursday morning.

The union's two main demands are the principle cause of the deadlock between management and the VDSZSZ. Union leaders want a quarter of a million forints for every one of MAV's 40,000 employees from the proceeds of the sale of the loss-making state railway company's freight wing, MAV Cargo.

Striking railworkers are also demanding a ten per cent pay rise for the employees of several MAV subsidiaries, including MAV Start, which runs Hungary's passenger train service.

MAV Cargo was sold to Rail Cargo Austria for 102.5 billion forints last month when the EU approved the deal following a lengthy review.

Both MAV management and the Hungarian finance minister have labelled the striking workers' demand for a windfall payment as "unrealistic" and indicated that the issue is not open to negotiation. (dpa)