Trade unionists start street protests, September 22, 27 and October 7 strikes coming up

Trade unionists in several activity sectors have started the previously announced protests, following the failure to reach an agreement with the Romanian Government. The trade unionists affiliated with Cartel Alfa and CNSLR-Fratia picketed the County Prefect's Offices, protesting against the retrenchment the Government has recently employed. In some of the counties, police officers, who are members of the National Trade Union Federation of Police Officers (FSNP), protested by reducing normal working activity by 25 percent. Street protests and picketing of the main state institutions headquarters took place in Timisoara Iasi, in Vaslui, in Piatra Neamt, in Calarasi, in Maramures county, in Alba Iulia, in Ploiesti, in Suceava, as well as in the cities of Constanta, Oradea, Sibiu and Zalau, reaching, according to the Cartel Alfa leader Bogdan Hossu, around 18,000 unionists. Several other street protests are announced for the following period across the country. The National Union of Public Servants said its members will go on strike on an undetermined term from September 27, while other unionists saved the October 7 day for protest actions. September 22 has also been chosen as a day of street protest for other unions, all representing public servants, affected by the 25 percent salary cut measure. The salary reduction in the public sector was made in an attempt to reduce the country's public spending, as required by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). AGERPRES