May 1st is Labor Day and should mark the struggle of workers for more rights and higher wages. If in Paris, Madrid or Rome we see numerous demonstrations, in Romania the significance of this day has been completely lost, although our country suffers when it comes to workers’ rights.
Romania remains among the countries with the lowest salaries, even if the minimum or average salary has increased from year to year. Although they have among the lowest salaries, Romanians work the most in the EU: 2,029 hours worked annually, according to data from a French institute. The Dutch and Germans work the least, where the highest salaries are also recorded.
For example, a Frenchman works only 35 hours a week and has a minimum salary of 1,766 euros gross/month. Of these 1,766 he only pays the income tax, and at the end he has almost 1,400 net euros left.
Accidents at work
Romania is one of the EU countries where the most workplace accidents occur. Romania registers between 4,000 and 5,000 workplace accidents every year. Of these, more than 100 workers lose their lives at work.
Even Romanian state companies do not comply with labor legislation and safety regulations. In 2021, two workers of the Sector 3 City Hall lost their lives following unauthorized works in the area of the National Library. Mayor Robert Negoiță is being prosecuted for manslaughter.
The main problem remains the very weak legislation and the justice system indifferent to these cases. Although it has been almost 3 years since the two workers lost their lives, the case has not even been sent to court and there is no decision by the judges.
Even trade unionists at Metrorex have shown that they are putting their lives at risk because of the working conditions. They organized several protests, and in 2021, Cătălin Drula, the former minister of transport, wanted to send the Gendarmerie to force the protesters to give up the strike. Unionists continued their protests and demanded better working conditions.
“Due to the harsh conditions underground, most of the colleagues have cardio-respiratory problems, especially due to poor ventilation. There are health problems and because of the artificial lighting, there is no natural light. There are big problems with the bones, because the walls are radiating. There are also electromagnetic fields. Around 70% of colleagues have cardiovascular and breathing problems,” said Marian Artimon, union leader at Metrorex.
What the US State Department says
The US State Department published the 2023 report on the observance of human rights in Romania. The Americans also analyzed the workers’ rights situation and noted several problems.
According to the Americans, Romanian companies prevent workers from forming unions, which is a violation of a fundamental right. Also, the judiciary is not able to do justice for the workers when it comes to these abuses. Some workers even risk being fired if they try to organize unions in companies, even though the law gives them that right.
Romania has big problems with the application of safety rules at the workplace, according to the American authorities. State institutions carry out checks, identify abuses, but the emphasis is not placed on the application of measures.
“Occupational health and safety (OSH) standards were adequate for major industries, but compliance and enforcement were weak,” the Americans state.
The State Department also warns that the government has not effectively enforced the child labor law. Many Romanian children are exploited through work, and the authorities do not even manage to have a record of these cases. Americans believe that, in reality, there are many more cases than the Government officially declares.
“Incidents of child labor are believed to be much higher than official statistics. Child labor, including begging, selling goods on the street, and washing windshields, was widespread in Roma communities, particularly in urban areas,” the State Department states.
How many workers had their rights violated
86% of workers believe that their rights at work have been violated at least once during their professional career, a study from 2023 showed. 1 in 2 employees stated that they faced this situation at their current workplace.
“It affects them the most when they can’t take vacation when they want or as much as they want, as 25.4% of the respondents say. 22% are bothered by the fact that they were forced to work overtime or that those hours were not paid extra (18.5%). 9.1% were called to work on weekends as well, although their job required an exclusive schedule from Monday to Friday, 8.1% were paid illegally, and the list of the most frequently violated rights continues with dismissals without notice, dismissals in during pregnancy or immediately after returning from maternity leave”, the survey carried out by eJobs showed.
13th salary
Although Romanians have low salaries, the labor law in our country does not provide for the 13th salary. Italy, Greece, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Cyprus are EU countries where workers benefit from the 13th salary. This additional income helps the workers significantly. At the same time, the 13th salary would also increase receipts to the state budget, after contributions and taxes are paid.
Vacation days
Regarding vacation days, Romania is not behind other countries. The legislation provides for 20 days of annual leave, but Romanian workers also have many legal days off. In total, a Romanian worker has 32 days off in a year. In this chapter, our country has no problems and aligns itself with the states of Western Europe. Problems arise when workers are prevented from taking vacation time, as several employees alleged.
What does May 1 mean?
May 1 is just another day off for Romanian workers, although the abuses remain. Romanian workers face numerous problems, and in the absence of strong unions, they become victims. When unions organize strikes, the Government applies pressure to prevent them. In 2022, the union at STB (Bucharest City Hall’s transport company) organized a spontaneous strike. Mayor Nicușor Dan decided to fire hundreds of people who participated in the strike. In total, more than 600 STB employees were sanctioned for having the courage to stand up for their rights. Such actions are another abuse of state institutions, to discourage further strikes and protests.
Although the Romanian state should protect workers’ rights, the situation of the unions shows that it is precisely the companies and state institutions that sanction the workers who demand their rights.
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