Social Agreement for the minimum gross salary in Romania, signed the 25th of July 2008.
The Romanian social partners (Romanian Government, the five national trade unions confederations and national employers associations) signed the 25th of July a six year Agreement (2008-2014) concerning the progressive growth of the minimum national gross salary.
This action was the result of the Romanian trade unions pressure. The 2nd of July 2008, the Romanian national trade unions confederations started protests in front of the Finances Ministry building as well as in front of the Labor Ministry building. Many rounds of negotiations took place during the month of July. The national trade unions finally determined the Romanian Government to sign a three-parties Agreement with the commitment to raise the minimum national gross salary, as follows: 540 lei starting with October 1st 2008 and 600 lei starting with January 1st 2009.
The main objective of the Agreement is for the Romanian national minimum gross monthly salary to reach 50% of the average gross national monthly income. Today, the national minimum gross salary in Romania is only 31% of the average gross national monthly income (510 lei / 1620 lei), which causes an important social gap.
On December 2007, following the negotiations with the social partners, the Government previously made a commitment to raise the minimum gross salary to 510 lei starting with January 1st 2008, and to 540 lei starting with July 1st 2008.
The protests of three of the Romanian national trade unions confederations (NTUC « Cartel ALFA », FNTUCR-Fratia and National Trade Union Bloc), developed this July, have been caused by the Government refusing to keep the commitment they made in December 2007, which was to raise the minimum gross salary starting with July 1st 2008.
Under the Romanian trade unions pressure, the Government eventually singed an Agreement with the social partners, concerning the minimum gross salary, for a 6 year period.