VIDEO: Personal assistants from Alba Iulia took to the streets. Protest against the abusive elimination of salary increases

The personal assistants in Alba Iulia, those who take care of the disabled, took to the streets. On Wednesday, April 3, some of the personal assistants expressed their dissatisfaction.

They draw attention to how pay is made and the differences between assistants in centers for people with disabilities and personal assistants.

“Personal assistants are employees of the social assistance departments or the town halls, the salary level is at the minimum level guaranteed in payment, but even so the employer does not always grant the due rights, so they fight continuously to obtain all the rights regulated by the law”, mentions representatives of the union of Personal Assistants of Disabled Persons.

“Salaries are very low, costs are very high. From basic maintenance to therapies, assistive products are very expensive. Not all medicines are free. For disabled people, after the age of 18, the only income is 599 lei which will be increased to around 700. A disabled person cannot manage with this income”, said a personal assistant.

“The net 2300 lei received on the card is not enough. Care products alone, such as pampers, reach 700-800 lei per month. Wet wipes, anti-ulcer creams, and these are paid for, they are not on the list of freebies, therapies, special nutrition, supplements, vitamins, the costs are very high.

Maintenance costs are added. A certain temperature must be maintained, we cannot save. All this adds up”, says the woman.

“Unfortunately, the governors know what the situation is, but they do not take any measures. Consider that we can live like this too. Let him come and replace us at least for a day to see what it means. Maybe then things will change,” says another personal assistant.

The reasons for organizing the protest are:

The elimination of a disadvantaged professional category – personal assistants – from the salary scale regarding the health and social care occupational family approved by GEO no. 19/2024 in a discretionary and discriminatory manner, in order not to benefit from a salary increase and the recognition of seniority!

Decision no. 23/2023 of the High Court of Cassation and Justice abusively removed the right of personal assistants to an allowance for working conditions, even if they take care
people classified as severely disabled! A big discrimination between personal assistants who do not benefit from any increase for working conditions and employees of residential centers for people with disabilities who benefit from increasing working conditions up to 50%, even if they look after the same category of beneficiaries and the risks are same!

The increase in the prices of fuel, utilities and basic food directly affects all categories of employees and its cumulative effects cause a significant decrease in purchasing power. In this economic context, personal assistants who care for children or adults with severe disabilities are at risk of poverty together with the vulnerable people they care for, having an income below the limit of a decent living both for themselves, the vulnerable person and their own family.