Over 150 Doctors Protested At Health Ministry Headquarters On Thursday
Over 150 doctors rallied outside the Health Ministry headquarters on Thursday, to protest against low wages and their being overloaded with work.
Bogdan Tanase, head of Physicians’ Alliance, said doctors expect the outcome of the ministry’s impact study on the number of night shifts.
Displeased that the go-slow strike in the healthcare system, held between March 21 and 27, did not yield any result, trade unions are determined to continue protests. Therefore, the planned warning strike, which means halting activity for two hours, will be held between April 11 and 17, while a full-blown strike in hospitals is scheduled for April 18.
Protesters were on go-slow strike between March 21 and 27, and on March 28, they voiced out their demands in the Chamber of Deputies (at the committee for healthcare issues). On March 31 and April 7, they picketed the Labor and Health Ministries and, between April 11 and 17, they will stage a warning strike. On April 18 they will go on a full-blown strike.
Healthcare employees’ demands target, among others, the enforcement of the provisions of Law 284/2010 regarding a unitary pay system in the healthcare sector too, the granting of all bonuses, calculated based on the actual wage, including the bonus for difficult working conditions, the PhD bonus, the observance of labor norms, the working time and rest time for all categories of healthcare employees, by reducing, up to the point of eliminating the staff shortage which only leads to piles of work and limited rest time. (Adevarul)
KPMG Romania Issues European Minimum Wage Survey
KPMG Romania has issued a report giving detailed information about minimum wage requirements in all EU member states, as well as the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland.
The information presented in the report is based upon a brief survey consisting of 11 questions covering aspects relating to minimum wage requirements and notifications with respect to postings to 31 countries within the European Union, European Economic Area and Switzerland, valid for January 2016.
As a general rule, the national minimum wage is the gross amount before income tax and social security contributions, although this can sometimes differ from country to country. Some countries have a national minimum wage which varies between blue-collar and highly-skilled workers. For highly-skilled workers, France has the highest minimum wage (EUR 4.444 per month), whereas Luxembourg has the highest level which applies to all workers.
The countries where the minimum wage is set at national level are: Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom. The countries where the minimum wage is set under Collective Bargaining Agreements are: Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Norway, Switzerland. Countries where there is no minimum wage: Sweden. In the 22 countries that have a minimum wage established at national level, it varies between EUR 2142 in Bulgaria and EUR 1,923 in Luxembourg. (Adevarul)
Upcoming Increase In Minimum Gross Wage To Trigger Massive Layoffs
The nearly 20% increase in the minimum gross wage in Romania, starting May 1, 2016 will lead to massive layoffs, considering that nearly a third of employees currently earn this wage.
After freezing at RON600 during the economic crisis years of 2009 and 2010, the minimum gross wage will reach RON1,250 on May 1, 2016.
The impact of the planned increase will be deeply felt in the economic sectors relying on reduced labor costs, mainly, furniture manufacturing, the textile and food industries, as well as tourism services and restaurants.
Romania last raised its minimum gross wage in the summer of 2015, to RON1,050. (Evenimentul Zilei)
Central Bank Governor Warns Of Severe Systemic Risk
Romania’s central bank governor Mugur Isarescu warned Thursday the central bank has identified severe systemic risk in Romania for the first time ever.
Speaking at the presentation of the central bank’s report on the country’s financial stability, Isarescu said recent legislation proposals targeting the banking system add up to severe systemic risk.
“Initiatives that target retroactive changes to aspects of the banking system have become more frequent over the past six months. The debt discharge law is the most widely known,” said Isarescu.
He added there are other legislation initiatives that risk breaching property rights, contradicting the fundamentals of a market economy, that could lead to instability.
The debt discharge bill, which is pending a vote in Parliament, would allow retail mortgage borrowers to return real estate collateral to banks in exchange for writing off their loans. (Puterea)
Leaders Of Parliamentary Parties To Attend National Security Talks With President Iohannis
The leaders of parliamentary parties said they would attend the consultations on national security laws with President Klaus Iohannis, scheduled for next week.
PSD, PNL and UDMR will attend talks at the presidential Cotroceni Palace on Tuesday, April 12, while UNPR, ALDE and the group of minorities will attend talks on Wednesday, according to the presidential administration.
Each delegation will include five people at the most. (Puterea)