Romania: End of Miners' Strike Sealed by Protocol
Bucharest Radio Romania Network in Romanian 1600 GMT 20 Jun 97
The labor conflict in the Jiu Valley ended today with the signing of a
protocol between the representatives of the Romania Pitcoal Public
Corporation, the Confederation of Mining Trade Unions of Romania, and
the League of Mining Trade Unions of Jiu Valley-Petrosani.
The document reads as follows: The protocol concluded on 18 June 1997
-- which was endorsed by the Ministry of Finance and signed by Mircea
Ciumara, minister of state and minister of finance -- remains valid in
its terms. Following a rigorous examination of the income and expenditure
budget of the Romania Pitcoal Public Corporation, the protocol
signatories identified the possibility of also granting the miners, as reparations,
the difference of 23.3 percent for the month of July 1997 -- an indexation
that was not received by the employees in the first semester of 1997. The
solution does not envisage any intervention from or claim upon the state
budget and only requires the realignment of certain costs, by also
taking into account the prospects of the restructuring program.
In a statement to our radio station, Romeo Beja, the leader of the Jiu
Valley miners, said that he is glad that this conflict was solved by
dialogue, at the negotiating table.
In an exclusive interview with our radio station, Finance Minister
Mircea Ciumara said that the indexation of the miners' wages will amount
to 23.3 percent, which will be granted next July, and that following that,
as of 1 August, the miners should be paid the indexation difference that
they did not receive last March. The finance minister said that the protocol
concluded today between the Pitcoal Public Corporation and the trade
unions exclusively refers to the month of July. As for next August -- Mircea
Ciumara said -- the miners will receive 15 percent of last March's
indexation plus a sum to be agreed upon in further negotiations, as a
function of the coal production figures for next July.
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Romania: Wood Industry Workers Organize Protest March in Bucharest
Bucharest Rompres in English 1630 GMT 20 Jun 97
Bucharest 20 Jun (Rompres) -- About 8,000 employees of the Free
Trade-Union Federation in the Wood Industry organized in Bucharest on
Thursday, June 19, a march and a protest meeting.
Trade-unionists require wages, at least at the level of the average
wage of the national economy a cut of taxation system a safe work place
to stop poverty and increase in life cost to stop enterprise
de-capitalizaton by means of banking interest weight, a revival of productive sector to
stop Romanian woods degradation and a liquidation of abuses regarding wood
revaluation.
In their speeches, the representatives of trade-unions accused the
government of not observing the election promises and the provisions of
the contract with Romania. They required the resignation of the Ciorbea
government.
Romania: Constantinescu Warns of Danger to 'Internal Stability'
Bucharest Radio Romania Network in Romanian 1300 GMT 20 Jun 97
Romania's President Emil Constantinescu and representatives of the
CNSRL [National Council of Free Trade Unions of Romania]-Fratia Trade
Union Confederation started a meeting at Cotroceni Palace, an hour ago. The
CNSRL-Fratia delegation consists of Vice Presidents Marius Petcu,
Constantin Stirbu, Gheorghe Mares, and Liviu Luca as well as Ioan
Bodran, member of the Steering Committee.
The main topic of the discussion, according to President Emil
Constantinescu, is the trade union position vis-a-vis the economic
reform program, primarily in the sphere of restructuring. At the start of the
meeting, the head of state said that it is necessary to reestablish the
social dialogue, since there is the risk of chaotic actions, which may
jeopardize Romania's most important capital, namely the internal
stability,
and may even affect the position of the trade unions.
President Emil Constantinescu is also scheduled to meet today with the
representatives of Alfa Cartel and CSDR [Confederation of Democratic
Trade Unions of Romania], our correspondent Sorin Croitorescu reports.
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Title: Romania: Miners Receive 23.3 Percent Pay Rise, End Strike
Bucharest Radio Romania Network in Romanian 1300 GMT 20 Jun 97
The general strike of the Jiu Valley miners ended this afternoon,
around 1400 [1100 GMT]. The moment was sanctioned by the thousands of
miners rallied in front of the headquarters of the Petrosani Pitcoal
Public Corporation, after the leader of the strikers, Romeo Beja, announced
that the government representatives approved a 23.3 percent salary increase
as of 1 July. Romeo Beja said that this increase covers the skipped wage
indexation since last March, which was granted to other corporations in
the country. As of 1 August, the wage increases will be in step with the
indexation.
The miners returned to their workplaces and said that they will work
on Saturday, too, to recover the lost production of the past 10 days of
strike -- our correspondents report
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Romania: Chief Negotiator Sees Accord With Miners as 'Real Gain'
Bucharest Rompres in English 1721 GMT 20 Jun 97
Bucharest, 20 Jun (Rompres) -- The miners of the Coal Public Utility
(RAH) will receive a 23.3 percent indexation for July as compensation for
the first quarter of 1997. [passage omitted]
The state secretary for relations with the trade unions and the
employers' organisations Vlad Rosca, heading a governmental commission
sent to Deva, said at the termination of the Jiu Valley miners' strike that
"the agreement reached is a real gain as far as the dialogue between
the parties in the conflict and the defusing of the work conflict are
concerned. Yet there are many conclusions we can draw right now a plan is
being made that pays much attention to the Jiu Valley area in all its
social and economic aspects, not merely in the aspects related to the
valley's relation with the trade unions or the utility's
representatives, "Rosca said.
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