Romanian government’s emergency ordinance rejected by Cartel Alfa Trade Union Confederation
Romania’s Cartel Alfa Trade Union Confederation called on the government to suspend provisions in its emergency ordinance stipulating that public servants were not expected to receive bonuses, vouchers, overtime pay and other incentives this year. A draft ordinance on the issue is to be discussed at a Labour Ministry meeting on Thursday. Participants in the talks include ministry officials, trade union delegates and employers. The government wants to extend such cuts in their attempt to comply with the budget deficit next year. Trade unions claim such incentives were denied since 2010, which affects low-pay workers at a time when the work market is facing skilled worker shortage. Trade unionists insist that it is the next goverment who should decide on additional pay rights and the 2017 draft budget following public debates.
Meeting of Romania’s Social Dialogue Commission
Romania’s Social Dialogue Commission is expected to discuss the transparency in the gross salary decision-making for 2017. Independent experts selected by social parteners will attend a meeting on the matter at the Labour Ministry headquarters in the capital Bucharest on Thursday. The Three-Party National Council already met for similar talks early this week when acting Prime Minister Dacian Cioloş pointed out that it was the next cabinet who should make a decision concering the minimum wage.
ANR energy tax cuts
Romania’s Regulatory Authority for Energy (ANR) decided that residential energy taxes should be cut starting from January 1, 2017 at a time when such taxes cover some 30 percent of the country’s total energy consumption. The final pay will be 2 percent lower following the decision. Romania’s energy market is expected to get fully liberalised starting from January 1, 2018. The progressive shift from a regulated to a liberalised electricity market started officially in 2000 and it was fully completed by July 1, 2007, when all consumers became eligible to change their electricity supplier.
„Iassy, Capital of National Revival”
Events are scheduled in the Romanian north-eastern town of Iassy under the slogan of „Iassy, Capital of National Revival” as the city commemorates 100 years since it became Romania’s capital for a two-year period between 1916 – 1918 after the fall of Buchaest under the so-called „Central Powers’ occupation” during WW1. Manager of the Romanian government’s Centenary Department, Daniel Şandru told Romanian Radio reporters that the newly-elected lawmakers should support the project of including Bucharest, Iassy and Alba Iulia (in central Transylvania) in a group of so-called „Cities of Memory” linked to the country’s crucial historic moments such as WW1 and the Great Union. The three-day event is expected to end on Friday.
Alexandru Danga/adanga
