Workers of Rodipet go on strike asking for the payment of their wages

Workers of the company formerly called Rodipet - SC "Network Press Concept" SA - all over the country have continued their demonstrations in front of the company"s headquarters in Bucharest, requesting the payment of their wages. The strike, which began last Friday, continued yesterday in front of the headquarters of the Authority for State Assets Recovery, (AVAS), which holds 51% of "Network Press Concept".

Workers of the company say they haven"t been paid since April 2009, and they haven"t received their meal tickets since January.

What"s more, reception and delivery of publications to the Rodipet distribution points all over the country has stopped.

Cecilia Baldovin, leader of the Free Union of SC Rodipet SA, said: "We want to know why last Friday, the company stopped taking delivery and distributing publications across the country, because in our opinion, the former Rodipet has potential and is profitable".

Due to these considerations, many publications have cancelled their distribution contracts with the company.

"Under normal circumstances Rodipet (ed. note: "Network Press Concept"), usually contacts every evening each publication that it has a distribution agreement with, for the delivery of next day"s editions", the unionist said, who added: "When they stopped receiving these calls, the publishers became suspicious and terminated their contracts".

Companies that cancelled their contracts with Rodipet include publishers with national coverage and 40 companies that distributed manuals and books.

Hassan Awdi owns approximately 49% of Rodipet.

Mrs. Baldovin said: "AVAS took over 51% of the shares of Rodipet through a court ruling of June 23rd, 2009. That"s all the State could do to become a majority shareholder. After the signing of the sale contract, Hassan Awdi had the obligation to bring in three other shareholders. He brought in two of his companies and Bassam Istambuli. They let Hassan Awdi have his way with the company. We want to be paid our salaries as soon as possible".

The union leader says that AVAS will receive 82% of the shares of "Network Press Concept".

• Hassan Awdi no longer in Romania

Hassan Awdi has left Romania four weeks ago. He claims he is sick, and that he hasn"t fled the country, the unionist said.

"My heart aches, I"m sick", he would most likely say", Cecilia Baldovin said ironically.

"We have no money to pay the workers, earnings have plummeted, publishers haven"t been paid (ed. note: for the issues sold), several publications have severed their contracts", she added.

• AVAS intends to pay up...

Mircea Ursache, head of AVAS, yesterday said that following the efforts of the former to solve the situation of SC Network Press, on September 10 2009, the appointed judge of the Trade Register of Bucharest will grant the temporary administrator of the company appointed by AVAS the right to perform banking operations on behalf of the company.

The first earnings of the company would be used to gradually pay the overdue compensations of its employees.

In the coming period, AVAS will perform an audit of SC Network Press"s financial state.

By this action, AVAS, as a majority shareholder, would establish the exact status of the company"s current litigations and earnings.

So far, the management of SC Network Press refused to acknowledge AVAS as a majority shareholder and ignored the mandate of the temporary administrator appointed by the latter, the head of AVAS said.

The efforts of the future manager of SC Network Press are intended to help the company by having several requests for SC Network Press to be declared insolvent be withdrawn, thus allowing the company to gradually pay its outstanding debts, Mr. Ursache said.

Publications "Adevărul", "Ziua" and "Capital" have unilaterally terminated their distribution contracts with the company.

Our newspaper terminated its distribution contract with the company yesterday.