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Unions Threaten Ample Protests, Upset Over ’08 Minimum Wage, Budget

Leaders of Romania’s five union confederations will decide Tuesday on ways to protest as they disagree with the government’s proposed minimum wage and state budget for 2008.
Unions Threaten Ample Protests, Upset Over ’08 Minimum Wage, Budget
20 nov. 2007, 14:32, English

Union leaders also plan to meet with leaders of political parties to demand changes in the planned budget.

The head of union federation Cartel Alfa, Bogdan Hossu, told a news conference that unionists are to meet this week with all parliament parties backing the European social model.

Unionists warned politicians that the draft law on the 2008 state budget and the proposed minimum wage for next year will not allow Romania to integrate in the European Union, as labor conditions are not decent for all employees.

Unions added they are offended by the government’s proposal of a RON500 minimum wage, when in 2005, the government told lawmakers it would hike the 2008 minimum wage to RON654, namely 40% of the average salary.

Unions also feel that the proposed 2008 state budget lays the ground for an antisocial policy that will have devastating effects on the medium and long term. Unionists added that the minimum wage proposed by the cabinet would only increase the number of people living below the subsistence threshold and will spark even more migration of the work force.