Cartel Alfa launched a call for solidarity among all public sector workers after a spontaneous protest broke out Wednesday at the Finance Ministry over unpaid bonuses, which quickly spread countrywide to several sectors of activity.
Wednesday’s protest at the Finance Ministry sent a ripple effect and thousands of employees in tax departments, mayoralties, pension houses, social workers, postal workers and employees of the national employment agency staged protests across the country Thursday, demanding decent pay.
The finance and labor ministers are in talks with union leaders to get people to go back to work and not block activity in state institutions.
Romania implemented a series of austerity measures this summer, including a 25% pay cut in the public sector, to keep the budget deficit in check and make sure its EUR20 billion aid package from the International Monetary Fund and other lenders stays on track.BUCHAREST