Romanian Railway Unionists Resume Activity

01 feb. 2008, 11:13, English

Earlier Firday, Romanian employees working in the railroad sector took action against the new wage grid for 2008 and froze the activity of trains in several train stations.

Unionists announced that this is a “voluntarily action”, determined by Government’s decision to limit wage increases in 2008 to 8% compares to 2007.

However, unionists had convened with railroad authorities to increase the minimum wage for the sector first to RON500 starting January 1, and then to RON570 as of May 1, 2008.

Unionists said this is not a protest and therefore it cannot be suspended by any court of law. Moreover, as their action cannot be included in the protest category, railway employees are not forced to ensure one third of their activity.

Confronted for the first time with such a situation, the minister of transportation Ludovic Orban said on Thursday that he cannot operate a wage increase over the legal economic threshold. He expressed his confidence that the personnel working in the railroad sector will not start such a conflict that goes against the legal frame.

The minister was unable to come up with a backup plan for such a situation but added that, according to the Labor Code, unionists’ labor contracts may be annulled.

Moreover, as railroad transport is a sector of national importance, authorities might resort to opening several criminal files against unionists. Orban added that railroad employees need to take several legal steps before going on strike.

The minister said he is willing to talk to the unionists and try to solve the situation, but warned that their deed will not pass unnoticed.

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