The unitary pay law under debate

Talks are being held this week at the Labour Ministry on a new law that tackles wage inequality in the public sector.

Daniela Budu, 08.03.2017, 14:32

The unitary pay law will be adopted by July 1st
and the pay rise will be made gradually until 2021, Labour Minister Lia Olguta
Vasilescu has announced following talks with trade unions in the healthcare
sector. The Minister has said that the first increase in salaries will be made
as of January 1st 2018, in keeping with the governing programme of
the ruling alliance made up of the Social Democratic Party and the Alliance of
Liberals and Democrats.

Lia Olguta Vasilescu has voiced satisfaction at how
negotiations unfolded and has pointed out that that the funds needed for the
pay rise, around 7 billion euros for the 2018-2021 time frame, are available
within the state budget. Lia Olguta Vasilescu:

The minimum salary has increased constantly,
therefore people without university studies and debutants working on a minimum
salary are sometimes paid the same as the more experienced employees with
higher education studies.

Trade unionists in the healthcare sector say the
unitary pay law is good and they are satisfied with the amounts earmarked for
the pay rise. The increase in salaries for most of the medical staff next year
stands at 60%. Early this week, the labour, interior and finance ministers as
well as representatives of public order institutions held talks in Bucharest on
the unitary pay law.

However, trade unions representing the police are
unhappy with the result of negotiations and have threatened with protests,
arguing that over 80,000 Interior Ministry staff do not even earn the minimum
salary of around 320 euros per month. They also denounce the fact that benefits
are calculated based on the basic salary of 2009, without the increase in the
gross minimum salary being considered. The Labour Ministry has said the
Government will take a decision in this respect after the Finance Ministry
analyses the impact that a prospective pay rise for the police staff may have
on the state budget. These are the last such corrections, the Labour Minister
has said, because the unitary pay law will correct existing salary imbalances.

Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu said on Radio Romania
that the unitary pay law put up for public debate is aimed at improving the
public sector pay scheme so as to mirror the responsibilities that public
sector employees have. Minister Lia Olguta Vasilescu has recently said that
salaries of up to 890 euros will double by 2020, while salaries above this
level will be increased by 45%. She has also said that starting July 1st
this year, the pension point will also be increased to around 225 euros.
Negotiations on the unitary pay law continue. Employee representatives in the
areas of education and culture will discuss the issue with Labour Ministry
representatives on Thursday and Friday, respectively.