Employers Want More Flexible Labour Market

• CNPR proposes legal changes about the social role of business associations and trade unions

• Business associations, concerned with poor qualification of workforce to be assigned to infrastructure projects

Representatives of several business associations have asked the Ministry of Labour to urgently prepare a set of measures to counter the effects of the economic crisis on the labour market. The National Confederation of Romanian Business Associations (CNPR) yesterday issued a press release saying that the Government and especially the Ministry of Labour should take active steps to preserve as many jobs as possible and to stimulate employers to create new jobs, even on a temporary basis. In their opinion, such steps need to be taken immediately.

"We are asking the Ministry of Labour to make the labour market in Romania more flexible, in line with the measures taken by other E.U. Members to stimulate employment where necessary, even on a temporary basis. Being so keen to maintain provisions that favour the employees excessively can lead to the useless loss of jobs," CNPR representatives stated. CNPR is also asking for additional measures to increase the mobility and qualification of the workforce through a more active social involvement of the business associations and the trade unions. In order to reach this objective, CNPR is suggesting radical changes, even if only for this year, in the restrictions on the role of business associations and trade unions that currently exist in the Romanian law.

Another proposal of the business associations is to reduce to a minimum any form of support given to people who systematically refuse to take a job and to shift such support to those who are actively seeking employment. CNPR representatives also expressed concern with the qualification of the workforce to be assigned to the major infrastructure projects announced by the State.

"We are deeply concerned with the tremendous delays in the qualification of the workforce and the assurance of the accommodations that need to be provided to a large number of workers, who are needed for major infrastructure projects in the next two-to-five years. Such projects are all the more important as they involve E.U. funding. Authorities in charge of major infrastructure projects seem to have learned nothing from the experience we"ve had with Transylvania Highway," CNPR representatives added.

If the Government does not take the necessary steps to meet the needs of the labour market, CNPR warned that Romania could seriously compromise its chances to take advantage of the investment opportunities needed during a crisis and not only.