Romanian Ed Unionists Want Econ Min Dismissed Over Wage Hike Statements

Vosganian said Thursday that a 50% salary increase for professors, as recently approved by Parliament, would trigger similar requests from all state employees, which would endanger the economic stability.

“We consider that Vosganian should give explanations to the National Defense Council for provoking the other professional categories against the wage increase in the education system. This hike does not affect the national economy and or the state’s safety, as the draft law approved by the Government is supported by the budget already assigned to the education system, of 6% of the gross domestic product,” FEN said.

The law adopted by the Chamber of Deputies has the approval of all special comities, including the budget-finance committee.

“All the members of Parliament, including members of Vosganian’s party, voted the law. His attitude would have been justified before the voting on the draft law. Right now it is just a destabilizing action, aimed at instigating the other professional categories against each other, which jeopardizes national safety. If the Romanian Government is not able to enact the Parliament’s decisions, then it is time it resigned, as it shows again its limitations and incapacity,” said, Catalin Croitoru, FEN president and head of the education committee with the Democratic Liberal Party.

"By presenting the October average gross wages for different categories of state employees, the minister did the education personnel a great favor. This way everybody could see that the teachers’ average gross salary is the last but one in the hierarchy he presented,” head of the Free Education Unions Federation (FSLI) Aurel Cornea said.

He added the minister forgot to mention “on purpose” that 80% of the teachers have long-term university studies, and payment should be differentiated based on the social importance of the work and the profession.

According to Vosganian’s statements, a 50% hike of all state employees would trigger a budget deficit of 7% of gross domestic product next year or the annulment of all investments established for 2009.

Romania has set a budget deficit ceiling of 2.3% of GDP for this year and plans to bring the gap to below 1% of GDP by 2012, ahead of its planned euro adoption in 2014.