Sanitas trade unionists request Labour Minister’s resignation

Sanitas trade union federation has sent an open letter on Friday to Labour Minister Dragos Pislaru to request his resignation, following a post on his Facebook page arguing that the trade union leaders “are playing the PSD game” and that he regrets the medical personnel has been drawn in this “abject approach”.

The trade union letter reads: “Have we drawn the medical staff into an abject approach, we, the ones taking care of people’s health? Abject is the way you address the health system and the social system employees. Abject is the way you’ve lied to this people and you hide behind excuses without any real basis. Abject is to say ‘it is illegal to increase the wages by less than 180 days before the election’ and also abject is that you knew about the employees’ demands before the ordinance 43 was issued and you did not to meet them.”

Labour Minister Dragos Pislaru wrote on his Facebook page: “I warned the Sanitas leaders several times regarding the illegality of the strike. I told them plainly they are making the PSD games and they will be drawn into the misery where infringing the law is a rule. I regret the medical personnel have been drawn into this abject approach, the medical staff I respect for the crucial part they play in the society.”

The Bucharest Court has decided on Thursday that the Sanitas federation trade union strike was illegal, supporting the government’s view which appealed to the court.

Sanitas trade union leader Leonard Barascu the trade union is waiting for the 15% wage increase to be voted in parliament next Monday. “We all look forward for Monday. Then we will decide the next steps.”