Romanian PM: Wages Will Not Be Cut In Ratio With Current Ones Under Unitary Pay Law

The quotients discussed Wednesday by the Government to establish the unitary salary grid in the public sector were some 40% lower compared to the levels previously analyzed, ranging between 5.4 and 2.3 minimum wages, Ministry sources told MEDIAFAX.

The quotients are applied to each position on the hierarchy grid.

The draft law will be further discussed by the Government and unionists.

Labor minister Marian Sarbu confirmed that the originally set quotients were adjusted within the government meeting Wednesday, stressing adjustments are close to these values, but declined to confirm any figure.

"I cannot confirm any figure. However, 40% is too much," said Sarbu, adding adjustments were operated, yet 40% is “way too much."

Furthermore, he said all ministers were handed over the draft law whose principles were reconfirmed, stressing the unitary salary grid is still up for debate.

Asked to comment on the 40% decrease in the quotients stipulated in the unitary pay law, Boc said Wednesday, at the end of the meeting, that current wages will not be cut and they will be paid in due time.

Unionists said they know nothing about a potential decrease in wage grid quotients by some 40% and stressed they will take to the streets and even go on general strike if the government makes this decision.