Education and public sector salary disputes in RO and MD

Tensions regarding educator and public sector wages are escalating in Romania and Moldova. In Romania, education unions are urging Parliament to uphold previously agreed salary grids, arguing that current legislative proposals rely on outdated 2023 average gross salary data. Beyond education, broader public sector unrest is emerging; pension fund unions have warned of activity blockades due to a reduction in the reference value from 4,100 lei to 4,000 lei, while ambulance service workers (FNSAR) are threatening radical protests over wage disparities and hazard pay.

In Moldova, the Federation of Education and Science Trade Unions (FSEȘ) continues to demand that the government honor commitments to increase salaries for teachers and researchers by September 1, 2026. This stance has gained support from the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) following government indications that a new salary law might not be implemented until January 2027.

Educators in Moldova have rejected a government proposal for a one-time compensatory payment of 4,000 lei, to be distributed in monthly installments of 1,000 lei through the end of the year. Union representatives maintain these amounts are insufficient to combat inflation or attract young professionals, with some calling for a base salary of 20,000 lei. These disputes occur against a backdrop of economic instability, including rising utility costs, a hydrological crisis, and an estimated inflation rate of 9.2% by year-end.