Unified wage law faces continued backlash
Romanian trade unionists continue their protests against the government's wage policies.
Bogdan Matei, 03.06.2026, 13:50
Anxiety and frustration remain the dominant mood across Romanian society. With record-high inflation for a European Union member state, an increased value-added tax (VAT), a matching rise in local taxes, a national currency—the leu—growing increasingly fragile against major convertible currencies, and a rising tide of distrust toward fundamental state institutions, the public is facing a perfect storm, compounded by a political class that seems entirely deaf to their grievances.
The latest lightning rod for public anger is the draft law for the so-called “unified wage system” in the public sector. Trade unions warn that the bill will slash the incomes of nearly all public employees. For instance, the Forensic Experts’ Union announced it will join the ongoing protests initiated by court clerks in the coming days. The clerks have already launched a partial strike and decided that through the end of the week, public service hours will be cut in half between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM, with only urgent cases being handled. Forensic unionists state that if the law takes effect in its current form, their monthly income will drop by 30% to 40%—this despite having received no salary increases for the past ten years.
The High Court of Cassation and Justice has also leveled harsh criticism against the draft, calling it “deeply flawed” and arguing that members of the judiciary should be covered under a special standalone wage law. In the Court’s view, the current proposal violates the principle of the separation and balance of powers and is bound to deepen inequalities among different categories of public sector personnel.
Public finance unionists are equally disgruntled; they too have staged walkouts, fearing that they will see smaller paychecks. Meanwhile, healthcare unions are threatening public protests, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the bill and warning that unless it is amended, their earnings will decrease and their labor rights will be compromised.
Amidst this turmoil, Dragoș Pîslaru—the interim Minister of Labor in the government that was ousted by parliament via a no-confidence vote nearly a month ago—traveled to Brussels. His goal was to discuss the final renegotiation of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) with the European Commission. Among other stipulations, the plan mandates that the unified wage law must be passed and implemented by August 31.
The minister promised to take the unions’ feedback into account before launching the legislative process in parliament. He maintains that the law is designed to eliminate pay disparities among employees with identical responsibilities. While the government promises to apply the new salary grid to all public sector workers, it aims to freeze salary hikes for high-ranking officials, who are already heavily compensated and increasingly unpopular with the public.
Ultimately, the stakes are high: the release of an PNRR funding installment worth nearly €800 million from Brussels hinges entirely on the passage of this law. (VP)
