Marcela Popescu works in the field of financial mediation, at a credit broker. He earns a little over 4,500 lei net and would like to work more. On Wednesday, Statistica sent salary data showing that Marcela is one of the workers whose salary has increased by more than 15%, but she can barely manage the money.

Money and salaryPhoto: Felix Hörhager / AFP / Profimedia

She has a loan on the flat she lives in with her two children, and after paying her bank payments and her water, gas and electricity bills, she has very little left. Marcela is one of about 200,000 Romanians who, although they have a job, would like to work more or take part-time jobs for extra money.

According to the INS, these 200,000 people wanted to work longer hours in the same or a different job; three-quarters of them are men, and half of those who would like to work more are between the ages of 25 and 44, the INS said.

Teachers, dentists, ANAF workers are on strike because of dissatisfaction with the salaries they receive. It’s true, the cost of living has gone up, and if something unexpected happens to you, most people don’t have the money to see it through.

Marcela, for example, will not be able to afford to go to the sea for more than 3 nights this year, because she has nothing to do. He will spend the rest of his vacation days at home. Will practice “rest”, as I read on the Internet.

With all the problems and financial pressures she’s under, Marcela doesn’t feel at all on top of the pay rise Statistica is trying to convince her of.

Almost 40% of survey respondents (a nationally representative sample) confirm his fears, according to data presented at a specialized conference.

5 events that caught us in the wrong place

Over the past 100 years, 5 events took place that caught us by surprise. The Depression of 1929-1933, World War II, the Revolution of 1989, the financial crisis of 2008-2009 and more recently the Covid-19 pandemic.

Below are the highest net salaries for May:

Below are the maximum wages per working hour:

Here’s what else the INS said in Wednesday’s press release:

  • In May 2023, the average net salary was 4,543 lei, which is 21 lei (-0.5%) less than in April 2023.
  • The highest average net wages were recorded in the field of information technology services (including IT activities) (10,478 lei)
  • In the budgetary sphere, in May 2023, the average net salary increased slightly compared to the previous month in public administration (+1.3%), and in health care and social assistance – a slight decrease (-0.3%).
  • In education, the average net salary increased compared to the previous month by 19.3%, respectively by 779 lei. Despite the fact that the last days of May 2023 are characterized by a strike in the public education system, the average net salary has increased, mainly due to the provision of vouchers (vacation vouchers) related to the year 2023 in the vast majority of pre-university education institutions of the city. In addition, May 2023 was not affected by the school holidays, the hourly payment of teaching staff is restored.
  • In general, in recent years, wages for education in May have increased compared to the previous month due to the provision of vouchers (vacation vouchers). Thus, also in the previous year, 2022, there was an increase in the average net salary in education in May (+11.6%, respectively by 447 lei) compared to April 2022, mainly as a result of the provision of value (vacation vouchers); below the increase registered a year ago is due to the fact that these wage rights were then staggered over several months.

Salary increase (in %) from May 2023/May 2022 below