Romanian Prison System Unionists Put Off Warning Strike, Start Talks

The warning strike organized by the National Union of Prison Workers (SNLP) and the National Administration of Penitentiaries (FSANP) was planned for Thursday across all penitentiaries in Romania.

 

"The decision to put off the strike is due to the positive outcome of protests set up on July 15, 2009, which brought together over 1,000 unionists for a big cause: to solve problems in the country’s prison system. After July 15, Justice Ministry officials and the representatives of the National Administration of Penitentiaries decided to sit down and talk, especially, since the legislation empowers unionists as social partners," the two unions said.

 

According to the unionists, since talks fail to guarantee the social dialogue will continue and their claims will be met, SNLP and FSANP decided to suspend planned protests until the end of negotiations, arguing they will make further decisions in this respect depending on the outcome of current talks.

 

Ministry officials and the unionists in the prison system recently decided, following talks on July 20, to jointly make an assessment of funds needed for goods and services vital for the functioning of prisons, which, they said, will submit to the Finance Ministry.

 

The employees in the prison system set off the labor conflict and protests on June 30, and also went on go-slow strike. 

 

On July 15, over one thousand employees in the prison system picketed the headquarters of the Justice Ministry, dressed in their uniforms, and called for the resignation of justice minister Catalin Predoiu, the management of the National Administration of Penitentiaries, Justice Ministry state secretary Radu Ragea. They also requested professional respect and the payment of bonuses.