Trade Union Protests in Bucharest
Employees in the public healthcare system staged a protest in Bucharest, disgruntled with the current legislation.
Leyla Cheamil, 19.09.2013, 13:23
On Wednesday Bucharest was the stage of large-scale protests organised by employees in the healthcare, transports and public services, who are primarily dissatisfied with low salaries. A victim of chronic under-financing in recent years, the Romanian healthcare system is undergoing a sever crisis, despite repeated reforms introduced with great fanfare by politicians aimed at modernising and streamlining the system.
The effect, however, was to weaken the system even more. Hospitals lack material resources. Many have closed down, which triggered a mass exodus of Romanian medical staff abroad. Higher salaries and better working conditions attract more and more jobseekers abroad. Romanian doctors are accusing the authorities of increasing the salaries of mayors, to give just one example, while on the other hand expecting resident physicians to live on a 180-euro paycheck.
Poverty-stricken and weary of financial shortcomings, Romania’s medical staff took to the streets to voice their discontent with the authorities’ lack of solutions to the same old problems. Their list of complaints includes six major points. Trade unions want 6% of the country’s GDP to go to the healthcare system, in addition to a proper legislation that should guarantee the professional independence of those working in the public and private systems, as well as a field-specific law introducing performance-based practices.
The medical staff also want the Government to consult the Health Professionals Coalition before taking any measure which might disrupt the activity of the health system. Money, however is the real issue, says Florin Chirculescu, a trade union leader.
Florin Chirculescu: “They must allot the due money to the healthcare system. At least 6% of the GDP must go to healthcare”.
Health Minister Eugen Nicolaescu himself says the demand is reasonable.
Eugen Nicolaescu: “If I had 6% of the GDP at my disposal, I would have no problem, I would be the happiest minister in this country”.
Minister Nicolaescu called on trade unions to put an end to the protests and resume dialogue. In turn, trade unions have announced daily protests until September 27. Meanwhile, transports and public service employees have also staged protests in Bucharest. Unhappy with the freeze on the wage fund since 2008, several hundred protesters called on the authorities to amend the transports legislation so as to allow employees to negotiate their employment contracts.
Trade unionists threaten to suspend all surface and underground activity indefinitely starting September 30 unless the Government meets their demands.
