Romanian Unions Protest for Higher Salaries

The Romanian National Trade Union Bloc protested on April 6 in Bucharest for higher salaries in the context of escalating prices for goods and services. The union members asked for the minimum wage to be increased.

According to unionists’ estimates, more than 20,000 protesters gathered in Victoriei Square at the rally organized by the five Romanian trade union confederations in protest against the decrease in salaries and pensions.

The National Trade Union Bloc (NBS) urges assistance measures to counteract the war’s economic and social impacts in Ukraine. On the other hand, the NBS urgently calls for measures to ensure Romania’s energy and food security, noting that, in the case of energy, reducing reliance on Russian energy resources overlaps with the effects of liberalizing the electricity and natural gas markets. To a strong interconnection of Romania’s energy product markets (electricity, gas, and fuel) with European ones, with effects particularly in terms of price increases. Simultaneously, the organization demands the signing of a national defence accord that includes tangible steps for the sector’s relaunch and a reduction in the strain felt by the public as a result of the Army’s endowment financing costs.

They are representatives of various fields of activity, workers in the private economic sector, companies with the state capital, and workers in the public sector. We have a broad representation that covers the entire structure of the Romanian economy. Today we are on the street to send a message to the Romanian Government and the governing Coalition. Our message is one in which we want to have no longer what we wrote on one of the banners that will accompany us during the march. We don’t want to feel abandoned in our own country. We live in times that certainly none of us would have liked to experience. Things were happening in the north, northeast of Romania that we heard about in the stories of our ancestors and grandparents. The dementia of some political leaders has forced Europe today to take drastic measures, which have repercussions on the daily life of every European citizen (…) The war in Ukraine produces not only human casualties but also economic casualties. That’s one of the reasons we’re here on the street today.

Dumitru Costin, leader NBS

Because costs are rising daily while wages remain stagnant and poverty is knocking at the door, the Romanian government must develop measures for Romanian employees to lower labour taxes or enhance earnings. This protest comes shortly after Romanian citizens protested against the high gas and energy prices. In a European country with European prices, Romania does not allow itself to have European salaries, which is decisive for any employee.

Photo source: National Trade Union Bloc Facebook page