EXCLUSIVE: Romanian Govt Bans Wage Hikes For Teachers In 2011

04.01.2011 By Ioana Tudor

The Romanian Government will freeze this year the salaries of teachers who won wage increases in court, capping them at the level in January, according to a draft act drawn up by the Government and obtained by MEDIAFAX.

The Romanian Government will freeze this year the salaries of teachers who won wage increases in court, capping them at the level in January, according to a draft act drawn up by the Government and obtained by MEDIAFAX.

According to the document, granting new salary rights through collective or individual work contracts is forbidden and breaching this norm will represent a criminal offence and will be punished accordingly.

The draft law regulates teachers' salaries in 2011 and includes detailed annexes regarding the gross wages of teachers and auxiliary staff in the university and pre-university education system, with the mention that they are valid until December 31, 2011.

The normative act forbids negotiations of new salary rights, through collective or individual work contracts, and states education sector staff will not receive holiday bonuses, food vouchers, gift vouchers or retirement indemnity. The document also reads that overtime will be rewarded only with time off.

Prime Minister Emil Boc said Thursday the Government will sponsor a bill, possibly by seeking a confidence vote in Parliament, capping salary increases for teachers, as the economy cannot cope with a 50% wage hike.

Boc said that, because of inconsistent judicial practices, some teachers are entitled to a 50% raise, others to a lower raise, so uniform regulation of this system is needed.

People close to the matter told MEDIAFAX the Government is considering adopting the bill by seeking a confidence vote in Parliament, because these salary rights may not be changed through an emergency ordinance.

In late 2008, the Tariceanu Government issued an emergency ordinance, which postponed the application of a law increasing salaries in the education sector by 50%, and provided a 17% raise. The ordinance was ruled unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court, which argued that postponing the raise affects the teachers' fundamental rights.

The Federation of Free Unions in Education said, following propositions to cap teachers' salaries, it will address the matter to international bodies and called on the prime minister and Education Minister Daniel Funeriu to resign.