Scandal on the first day of the postmen’s protest. A strike breaker from Bucharest, booed by colleagues from Buzau VIDEO

Several representatives of the Romanian Post Office from Bucharest were sent to the country, to take the place of the workers on strike, under the pretext of distributing pensions. Employees of the Buzău Post prevented them from entering the post offices, and the scandal moved to the street.

More than 500 postmen went on general strike and accuse pressure from the management of the company in order to resume the activity while the workers point out that after decades of work they are paid salaries that do not even cover their daily expenses and treatments medical.

“We don’t have a collective labor contract, we don’t have wage increases, almost 16,000 people are paid the minimum wage in the economy, we worked overtime, everything that can be done and the director refuses to grant wage increases. I asked for a decent 400 lei”declared the leader of the Postal Workers’ Union, Buzău Branch, Ion Bogdan.

The director of the post office of the municipality of Bucharest, together with other employees from the center, insisted on entering Post Office 5 in Buzău to take the pension money, claiming that they had to reach the beneficiaries. They were booed and sent for a walk.

“At the moment we are totally blocked, and now I notice that strike breakers from the company have arrived at the post office and called the police that the office is closed. We are waiting for an army from the country gathered to make mail in Buzau. They send cars with people to try to pressure us to take our duties and have someone else do the mail in Buzău”declared the leader of the Postal Workers’ Union, Buzău Branch, Ion Bogdan.

Postal workers with more than 30 years of experience complain that the monthly salary, after decades of work, is not even enough to pay the bills.

“I’m an employee at the Post Office, I’m doing therapy because I’ve had breast surgery six times, I go to Bucharest once a week and this therapy costs me 800 lei. The director cut off my sickness benefit. I can’t afford it, after 34 years of work, I take 2,200 lei in my hand and give 800 lei for treatment. I waited to retire with a decent amount, but with this salary I can’t afford to have a treatment”said the postal worker Tudor Adriana.

In Buzau county, on Monday, all post offices were closed. The postal workers say they will continue the protest indefinitely until their demands are resolved.