Romanian Railway Unionists To Sue Transports Ministry Over Layoffs

Train Engineer Federation leader Iulian Mantescu told MEDIAFAX Wednesday that, after four hours of discussions between the management and unions, CFR Marfa has refused to withdraw the layoff plan. Unionists said they would take the matter to court and notify the Labor Inspectorate about the management’s breach of the labor code.

Mantescu said that once the new Cabinet assumes power, it will issue a decision regarding the 20-24 net average salaries those laid off from CFR Marfa must receive.

„Should this decision not be issued, we will take the Government to court and call on international institutions, because employees fired from CFR Marfa would be discriminated against without severance pay. Just as a Government Decision was issued concerning bodies under the management of the Economy Ministry, for miners and energy employees, so must one be issued for CFR Marfa,” Mantescu said.

Railway unionists Tuesday urged Transport Minister Radu Berceanu to discard collective layoff plans at CFR Marfa until the Government issues a decision on severance pay, and threatened to challenge the layoff program in court.

Over 6,000 employees CFR Marfa will be laid off as of March 1, 2010 and will not receive wages as severance pay, according to the restructuring program sent to railroad unions.

Iulian Mantescu told MEDIAFAX last week that unions were told 6,380 of a total of 16,220 employees at CFR Marfa would be laid off and will not receive severance wages.

„I will challenge this program for two reasons. The railroad company’s management did not hold talks with unionists when they drew up the program and the selection criteria for the employees that will be laid off were not specified,” Mantescu said.

Romanian union confederation Cartel Alfa also urged the transport minister and the prime minister to reanalyze the situation at CFR Marfa and threatened it will challenge the state with the International Labor Organization.

Romania will fire more than 10,300 railway sector employees, who will get double the average net wage per economy as severance, unemployment aid and monthly severance pay for 20 to 24 months, depending on seniority, according to a draft decree drawn up by the Transport Ministry.

Most jobs will be cut at the freight division of the state-owned railway company CFR Marfa (6,700 people), the passenger division CFR Calatori (1,032 people), train car maintenance and repair company CFR IRV (800 people), the railway company CFR SA (600 people) and the locomotive maintenance and repair company CFR IRLU (500 people).