Romanian government promises striking postal workers higher wages

Some of Romania’s postal workers, members of the Romanian Postal Workers Union, have gone on strike for higher wages on Monday, April 1. The government has intervened, promising a new salary grid in the coming days.

The management of Romania’s national postal company Posta Romana has reacted to the recently declared strike, acknowledging the decision of the Romanian Postal Workers Union to initiate a collective labor dispute in the form of a general strike on April 1. The company emphasizes that the escalation of the labor conflict is “artificial,” and that it has taken all necessary measures to overcome it.

"We assure the more than two million pensioners who receive their social rights through the National Company 'Poșta Română' that they will receive their rights [pensions] on time, in April," the company said.

"I want to assure, first and foremost, all the more than 2 million pensioners who receive their social rights through the National Company 'Poșta Română' that there will be no one who will not receive their rights on time, in April! All pensions will be distributed on time, by April 15, as we have committed so far!" stated Valentin Ștefan, the general director of Poșta Română.

The management of the state-owned company also says that its requests for mediation have been met with refusals from the postal union.

Company representatives also say that the overwhelming majority, over 80% of employees, will perform their duties with professionalism, as before. About 20% of the company's employees have joined the collective labor dispute.

Romania’s Postal Workers Union, in turn, says that the company has sent employees from the central Bucharest office to the logistics hub in Cluj to replace those who are protesting.

"The National Trade Union Bloc, through the Romanian Postal Workers Union, reports the first pressures being exerted on postal workers, union members of the SLPR, who wish to go on strike," the unionists claim, cited by ProTV.

They also present images that they say show 13 employees of Poșta Română, sent from Bucharest, to replace those who went on strike at the Cluj Regional Logistics and Courier Hub. The Union also states that employees were sent to Târgoviște.

The unionists claim that it is well known that many employees of Poșta Română have salaries at the minimum wage level. They ask for an increase of RON 400 (EUR 80.5) in the net salaries of employees, as well as an increase in certain bonuses.