Romania among countries where many employees cannot afford going on vacation

Roughly 47% of Romanians cannot afford to go on vacation this summer even for a week, according to a report by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUC).

Greece comes in second place, with an estimated 43,4% of employees in the country, which translates to more than 1,6 million people who cannot afford a week’s vacation. Lithuania completes the podium with 41%.

The ranking differs in terms of sheer numbers. Italy (8 million), Spain (4,6 million) and France (4,1 million) have the highest number of workers missing out on a break for financial reasons.

More than 38 million people in Europe can’t afford a week’s holiday despite working, according to the report. The share of working people who cannot afford a vacation increased in 11 EU countries.

“A holiday shouldn’t be a luxury. Holidays are an important part of ensuring the health and wellbeing of workers, but couldn’t seem further away for many people struggling to simply put food on the table and pay the rent amid the cost-of-living crisis,” said ETUC deputy general secretary Esther Lynch. “Meanwhile life’s a beach for the bosses who have used the pandemic to pocket even more of the profits generated by their workforce,” she added.

The ETUC calls for urgent measures to address the “holiday poverty” experienced by millions of Europeans. The crisis, the institute predicts, will worsen under the pressure of higher costs of living and inflation.

(Photo source: Juan Moyano | Dreamstime.com)