Romanian Railroad Unions Want 24 Compensatory Wages

“The unions will not agree with the layoffs unless 24 compensatory wages are paid, and the job cut is not made sooner than January 1, 2010, as the leaders of the national railroad companies promised,” Mantescu said.

According to Mantescu, in the collective labor contract there is no stipulation regarding the payment of compensatory wages. 

The number of employees that are about to be fired will be decided after the situation is analyzed.

“We do not know the exact number of layoffs. We will analyze the situation and decide if there are 11,000 or none. The freight division of the national railroad company (CFR Marfa) proposed a reorganization plan that refers to scrapping 8,500 jobs,” added Mantescu.

Mantescu said the unionists will meet Monday with deputy secretary of state in the Transports Ministry Constantin Axinia, and meetings with the leaders of the railroads companies will continue on Tuesday.  

Mantescu said Wednesday, after the meeting with transports minister Radu Berceanu, secretary of state Constantin Axinia and the directors of the three railroad companies, that 1,400 employees working at the passenger division of the national railroad company, CFR Calatori, are to be fired. About 1,000 jobs at infrastructure division (CFR Infrastructura) and 8,500 at the freight division will also be scrapped.

Iulian Mantescu said a first meeting with the representatives of the ministry took place on Wednesday, and on Tuesday the unions will discuss with each division. 

Berceanu vowed to “struggle” in the Government in order to get money for the railroad companies, at the next budget revision.

Mantescu added that regardless of the number of layoffs, “nothing will change unless the Government allots money from the budget for the railroad companies.”

Berceanu said on May 25, after the discussions with the unionists, 3,700 employees that meet the retirement conditions would be laid off and the bonus expenses would be reduced.

The leader of Miscare-Comercial Federation said in May 920 employees from CFR Calatori, 1,300 from CFR Marfa and 1,500 from CFR Infrastructura would be laid off.

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