Romanian Cartel Alfa Unionists Announce Protest Calendar

"Cartel Alfa" vice-president Liviu Apostoiu said in a press conference Wednesday that pickets, lasting at least two hours, would be held Monday, September 20, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. in every county. These would be followed by protests of at least 4,000 people, between September 22 and 27 in Victorieri Square.

According to Apostoiu, healthcare union federations would take to the streets on September 22, followed by education federations on the 23rd, economic, police and prison federations on the 24th, and administration and chemical sector union federations on the 27th.

Apostoiu said there have been two meetings between "Cartel Alfa," the National Union Bloc (BNS), "CNSLR Fratia" and "Meridian," Romania's four major union confederations, which yielded a program of protest action to be debated in the national councils of each organization. Later, "CNSLR Fratia" and BNS withdrew from the joint action, while "Meridian" has not yet sent a position.

"Cartel Alfa" officials said the National Union of Public Servants might go on indefinite general strike on September 27, possibly joined by the National Federation of Public Administration Unions.

The unionists demand an end to layoffs, solid investment programs to retain and create new jobs, keeping the current retirement age and pension formula, as well as special pension categories. "Cartel Alfa" also protests against changes to the Labor Code, which would eliminate branch and national collective labor contracts, social protection for employees in collective vacation, individual labor contracts for an indefinite period.

The unionists also request the minimum wage be 750 lei (EUR1=RON4.2394) and that all the austerity measures implemented by the Boc Cabinet be retired.

These demands are common to all the confederations, but they will hold their protests separately.

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