Romania's public salary law sparks union protests and threatens EU fund disbursement

Romanian public‑sector unions, led by the SANITAS federation, have categorically rejected the draft unified salary law, calling it “inequitable, incomplete and profoundly disadvantageous” for health and social‑care workers. They claim the government ignored mandatory social‑partner consultation required under the EU‑backed National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and warned that “any form of the unified salary law will be denounced” and that the project was “made on the knees”.

The unions announced a protest outside the Ministry of Labour on 28 May and further demonstrations in Victory Square and in front of Parliament on 3 June. They caution the European Commission that insufficient consultation could lead to the PNRR milestone being declared unmet, risking the suspension of EU tranche payments. The government maintains the reform will reduce salary disparities without cutting wages, but the dispute has escalated into a broader confrontation over the allocation of European funds and the future of public‑sector remuneration.