Pressure on Romanian pay levels

Pressure on Romanian pay levels

By Thomas Escritt in Bucharest

Published: April 15 2008 03:17 | Last updated: April 15 2008 03:17

The workers at ArcelorMittal’s Romanian subsidiary downed tools on Monday as a union leader warned that the three-week strike at Renault’s plant was a sign that the era of low wages in the country was coming to an end.

Costin Dumitru, leader of the BNS trade union confederation, which represents workers in the automotive and shipbuilding sectors, described the strike as a “business lesson for multinationals”. He added: “The first argument for companies coming to Romania is low labour costs – the result of years of politicians from left and right promoting our country as a place with well-educated labour and low salaries.”