New trade union protests
Protesters are unhappy with the austerity budget proposed by the Government.
Corina Cristea, 18.02.2021, 13:50
Unsatisfied with the draft state budget law and the ordinances related to it, trade unions’ representatives staged protests in the capital Bucharest, in front of the Government building and the offices of the parties making up the centre-right ruling coalition, as well as in front of a number of prefect’s offices. They argue the austerity budget will prologue the economic crisis, lowering living standards and condemning citizens to poverty. ”Decent work, social justice and social dialogue” is the slogan of the trade unionists affiliated with the CNS Cartel Alfa, who, on their fifth week of protests, picketed the offices of the USR-PLUS alliance and the Government’s headquarters. Protesters are asking for decent wages, fair pensions, quality public services and the unblocking of collective bargaining.
The freezing of salaries for various categories of workers and the elimination of holiday vouchers is also a reason for discontent, as protesters fear this may affect the hospitality industry, a sector already highly affected by the restrictions imposed in the context of the sanitary crisis. Cartel Alfa’s general secretary, Petru Dandea, explains: “Romania is in the grip of an economic crisis. No austerity measures should be imposed in this context, because they only make things worse. The Government does not seem to understand that. This is our goal, to convince the ministers and the Government to come up with development policies, which we don’t have at this point.”
Representatives of Solidaritatea Sanitara Federation protested at the headquarters of the National Liberal Party, the main party of the ruling coalition, and then at the Government’s headquarters. They asked more money for the healthcare system, the observance of the legal rights and protection measures for healthcare workers, who face higher risks than they did before the pandemic and the bonuses are not the same.
The PUBLISIND Federation, affiliated with the National Trade Union Bloc, with employees from the police, public administration, social assistance, finance and financial control, also protested against measures likely to trigger a decrease in the public servants’ salaries. Trade union leader, Cosmin Andreica: “This is the seventh week of protests. We protest because the law is not enforced, because Romania is ruled through emergency ordinances. We saw, at the end of last year, that the Government issued an emergency ordinance that prevents the salary law from 2017 from taking effect, a law aimed at doing away with inequities and discrimination in the system”.
Employees with the public rail system also protested in Bucharest, unhappy with the lack of investment in rail infrastructure and the small salaries. They argued that the number of rail workers is insufficient and the railway is on the verge of collapse, due to the lack of any investment in the last 30 years. (EE)
