Romanian Public Servants Threaten Full-Scale Protests Over Salary Hike

“Since teachers benefit from a political decision and saw a 50% salary raise, we will not settle for anything below this figure either (…),” said Vasile Marica, president of the Federation of Public Servants’ Unions.

 

Marica said the salary hike would imply a EUR5.5 million budget effort in 2009. The figure for the next months of this year would reach 1.1 billion lei (EUR1-RON3.7603), according to Marica.

 

 “We did not estimate the financial consequences of a full-scale strike, but I’m afraid Romania could be thrown into chaos,” Marica said.

 

Romanian lawmakers on Tuesday approved a 50% pay hike in the educational system, which was seen as a populist, pre-election measure.

 

Following the measure, another two social classes, students and public servants, respectively, demanded similar facilities.