Romania
Government policies to deal with the economic crisis and the requirements of loan packages involving the International Monetary Fund and European Commission are continuing to meet with widespread resistance from Romanian trade unions. A series of protests have been organised in March and further action is planned in April and May.
Read more at > seeurope news website (EN)
Public hospital workers organised by the POEDIN trade union, part of the ADEDY federation, have been involved in a series of stoppages during June in protest at health service funding and job classification. A 24-hour strike on 13 June was followed by shorter strikes action on 14, 15 and 16 and will be followed by further stoppages on 20 and 22 June. Read more at > POEDIN (GR) And at > the ERT news service (EN)
The KKDSZ trade union, representing workers in museums, libraries and other cultural institutions is organising a demonstration on 22nd January, traditionally the Day of Hungarian Culture, to coincide with the presentation of awards by the Minister of Culture. The aim of the protest is to highlight the impact of cuts on the culture sector which have included laying off 20% of the workforce since January. The county museums and libraries have become state-owned without any negotiations with trade unions and subsidies have been reduced from their already low level.
The OSZSP health union joined the first in a series of protests around the country in opposition to the government’s austerity programme. The demonstration took place in Strakonice in South Bohemia and was organised by the OS KOVO metalworkers’ union. Further protests in June are due to take place in Zlín, Ostrava and Prague. The campaign is backed by the CMKOS confederation as the austerity measures will have a massive impact across society. Public service workers are facing a freeze on salaries this year and the prospect of a 5% cut in pay next year.
