The National Federation of Social Assistance and Child Protection Trade Unions FNS “Pro.Assist” is organizing a protest near the Ministry of Labor on Tuesday, the trade unions complain that the increase in basic salaries by 5% since January led to a decrease in net profit instead of increasing it, writes news. ro

“The National Federation of Trade Unions of Social Assistance and Child Protection FNS Pro.Assist, the representative federation of the field of activity “Social assistance”, is starting protest actions regarding the wages of social assistance workers due to the lack of reaction of the managers. ! On Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at 10 a.m. in front of the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity, the members of the FNS PRO.SIST Federation express their dissatisfaction with the salary policy of the governors regarding social assistance workers,” the press release of the trade unionists says.

According to them, a 5% increase in base salaries from January 2024 has led to a decrease in net income instead of growth.

“In December 2023, 70% of the employees of the social assistance system, regardless of length of service, were paid the guaranteed minimum wage, and in January 2024, when the basic salary was increased by 5%, they lost tax benefits, so their net profit (in cash) was from -60 lei to +80 lei, more than half “benefited” from a decrease instead of an increase,” the trade unions said.

They also note that for the third year in a row, the Law on Wages No. 153/2017, and inflation of 14.5% is unlikely to be sustained by employees who are below the poverty line.

“We demand the full application of the wage law as soon as possible, because only the application of Article 12 of Law 153/2017, respectively, the calculation of the coefficients from the wage scale to the minimum wage currently provided, will bring justice, lead to the disappearance of discrimination and serious of wage disparities in the entire budget system, especially in the social assistance system, where professional foster carers, personal assistants who care for people with severe disabilities, social parents, guardians and staff to care for beneficiaries of social services, have lost work experience with enrollment to the guaranteed minimum wage,” the trade unions also sent.

The representative organization of employees claims that keeping the allowances at the level of December 2018 is practically “theft” from the pocket of the employee, this theft amounts to hundreds of lei per month, which the employee will never get back from the employer.

“As you know, every year, due to the Train Regulations, the increase of employees of the budget system and, in particular, social assistance is limited to the amount they had in December 2018, which is abnormal and fair compared to the working conditions for which employees receive these allowances. Social care workers work overtime, operating with a 30% shortage of staff, reaching physical and mental exhaustion without even being paid according to the working conditions in which they perform their activities! It is known that working conditions in social assistance are harmful and especially dangerous, risky or stressful and recognized by the laws passed on this matter, and the governors limit them to the amount that existed 6 years ago! In addition, our federation has repeatedly reported that there is no uniform application of the percentage of bonuses to which they are entitled between employees of the system who occupy the same position and work in the same conditions. The application differs from district to district depending on the availability of heads of district councils,” the press release also states.

In addition, the unions state that “understaffing leads to extreme situations, burdening existing staff with additional responsibilities, which leads to overwork, fatigue, burnout, which has serious consequences for the health of workers, as well as the services offered to social welfare recipients services”.

“The FNS PRO.ASIST Federation drew attention to the fact that the ban on employment in the social assistance system combined with the cancellation of vacant positions leads to the impossibility of ensuring the continuity of social services. The recommendations and measures left by the institutions that carried out the control in 2023 of the state social service providers were related to the employment of staff, and for this reason we consider it absolutely necessary to unblock employment in the social assistance system as soon as possible,” the message reads. trade unionists also conveyed .