Romanian railway workers’ unions threaten to strike starting February
The Federation of Railway Transport Workers’ Unions in Romania announced the intention of its members to go on strike starting February 1 due to recent government measures that cut their overtime and cancelled trains.
Railway workers ended last week with a protest meant as a warning to the government. On Friday, January 24, they held a rally expressing dissatisfaction with the recent government decisions and planned layoffs at the state railway companies.
The Federation also stated that CFR Călători unjustifiably canceled several passenger trains during the first month of this year.
“The railway workers are determined to spontaneously stop work if all passenger trains canceled by CFR Călători are not reinstated by February 1, 2025, less than a month after the 2025 Train Schedule was implemented. Furthermore, this reinstatement must be accompanied by the enforcement of Article 28, paragraph (1), letter l) of Law no. 360/2023 on the public pension system, which stipulates that, as of September 1, 2024, state railway units will pay the additional contribution for special working conditions for railway workers employed in Railway Traffic Safety positions,” stated the Federation of Railway Transport Workers’ Unions.
The contested measures mentioned by the unions were included in a package of laws introduced by the Romanian government to cut public sector overtime payments. As a result, workers will be compensated with time off instead of pay, exacerbating staff shortages, particularly that of mechanics. The measures led to the cancellation of 260 secondary train routes, about 25% of scheduled trains, in a few days.
Currently, CFR Călători operates with only 1,500-1,700 mechanics, well below the 2,500 needed for optimal functioning, according to the unions cited by PressOne.
The ordinances also cut into the wages of current railway employees. Before the ordinance, locomotive mechanics could significantly increase their income through overtime. For example, while a locomotive mechanic’s base salary ranged from RON 6,000 to 6,700 gross per month depending on their role, overtime allowed many to earn up to RON 10,000-11,000 gross monthly.
Union representatives argue that these overtime costs had already been accounted for in the 2024-2025 collective labor agreement signed before the ordinance. The agreement is valid until June 2025, and the unions assert that cutting overtime payments creates unnecessary disruptions without reducing actual costs.
Romania's budget deficit hit 8.6% of GDP in 2024, nearly three times the 3% upper limit.
(Photo source: Inquam Photos | George Calin)
