Trade unionists calls upon urgent convening of the National Commission for Consultations and Collective Bargaining

National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (NTUCM) calls upon urgent convening of the National Commission for Consultations and Collective Bargaining (NCCCB) to start discussions on the socio-economic situation of the country.

In a letter sent today, January 26, to Prime Minister Pavel Filip, trade unionists call for respect of the principles of social partnership, provided by Conventions of International Labour Organization and national laws and respect the right of trade unions to participate in the drafting of programs of social-economic and legal documents.

Thus, NTUCM insists that the drafts of laws regarding state budget, state social insurance budget and mandatory health insurance funds to be addressed within NCCCB before the approval of the Government.

However, trade unionists call upon prompt intervention of the Executive in order to verify the correctness of prices and tariffs on oil products and energy resources, counter and stop the unjustified increase of prices for socially important goods of strict necessity, as well as undertake measures in order to avoid instances of degradation of the living standards of the population by increasing household incomes (salaries, pensions, allowances and scholarships).

“The increases in the past year negatively affected the population, whose purchasing power is deteriorating. According to official statistics, in November 2015, the gross nominal average wage was 4613.4 lei, increasing by only 5.9% compared to November 2014 when the consumer price index for the same period amounted to 113,5%. The situation is even more complicated for the socially vulnerable categories, especially pensioners, who receive an average retirement payment of 1191.83 lei, an amount that does not cover the subsistence minimum,” highlights the letter of NTUCM.

Department of mass-media and international relations