Romanian Labor Ministry To Grant Bonuses To Employees Based On Performance Criteria

Botis said he met with employees of the Labor Ministry, the Bucharest Pension House and the National Employment Agency (ANOFM), adding they agreed to meet again for talks on Friday to find common ground on the issue.

The minister said that a decision on the way to grant bonuses to employees will be taken next week.

Employees with the National Employment Agency and the Bucharest Employment Agency halted their activity Thursday, at 9 a.m., and started protesting on hallways, demanding they receive their wage bonuses. Botis arrived at the headquarters of the National Employment Agency at 11 a.m. and invited unionists to civilized talks regarding their demands.

Botis also talked to the employees of the National Pension House, after they said they would also halt their activity. At the end of talks, Botis said he cannot oppose a legal protest action, adding, however, he hopes Pension House employees will not resort to spontaneous protests similar to those staged by Finance Ministry employees countrywide. Botis promised Pension House employees they will continue to get incentives, but admitted that low wages represent the biggest problems. He stressed incentives will be included in salaries through the new unitary salary law.

Romanian Finance Ministry employees, who have been protesting over unpaid bonuses since Wednesday noon, decided Thursday evening to renounce protests after they were told that bonuses for August and September will be paid.

Finance Minister Gheorghe Ialomitianu told ministry employees earlier that bonuses for August and September would be paid, but only after a commission of unionists and ministry officials analyzes how they are granted.

Ialomitianu said bonuses will not be paid to all ministry employees, but only to those who worked overtime and had very good results. He also said the country's unitary pay law is to be put to the vote in Parliament Tuesday, adding the law provides decent wages for all public sector employees.

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