Romanian Govt Decides To Take Teachers’ Wage Hike To Constitutional Court

Tariceanu said he sent a document to president Traian Basescu, and will have discussions on Monday with central bank governor Mugur Isarescu on the effects of the Parliament’s decision to hike teachers’ wages.

Tariceanu had discussed on Saturday the implications of the decision and unionists’ demands on the state budget with the ministers concerned by the matter.

He met with finance minister Varujan Vosganian, interior minister Cristian David, labor minister Mariana Campeanu, education minister Cristian Adomnitei, health minister Eugen Nicolaescu, as well as with state secretaries.

The Chamber of Deputies Tuesday unanimously adopted Ordinance 15/2008 with the amendments of the Social Democratic Party, which stipulates a 50% hike in the wages of staff in the education system.

According to Vosganian’s calculations, a 50% hike of all state employees’ wages would trigger a budget deficit of 7% of gross domestic product next year or the annulment of all investments planned for 2009.

Tariceanu said Thursday he is not against wage increases for teachers, but said increases should be first applied to very low wages and need to rely “on logic”.

On Thursday, Vasile Marica, president of the Federation of Public Servants’ Unions, said public servants will launch a full-scale strike next week unless they receive a 50% pay hike to match the salary increase granted to personnel in the educational system.

Government representatives will try to discuss the matter with the public servants’ representatives, to avoid the general strike, Campeanu said. She added that if the government were to grant all unionists’ requests, the country would face financial collapse.

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