Romania's SANITAS Union Calls Two‑Hour Warning Strike in Public Hospitals

On 20 July 2026, the Federation SANITAS announced a two‑hour warning strike in Romania’s public health system, scheduled from 09:00 to 11:00. More than 400 hospitals and outpatient units across the country will limit activity to emergency care and roughly one‑third of routine services. The protest targets the government’s draft salary law, which unions say perpetuates pay inequities, reduces overtime bonuses and was adopted without genuine social dialogue. SANITAS president Iulian Pope warned, “The government has closed the door to real negotiations and imposed a salary law that harms our staff.”

If the authorities do not reopen talks, SANITAS has warned that a general, unlimited strike will begin on 28 July, potentially halting non‑essential medical care nationwide. The unions maintain that essential services will be preserved during both the warning and any future strike, and they stress that the action is directed against government policy, not patients.