Romania Trade Unions Propose 4,652 Lei Minimum Wage for 2027

The National Trade Union Bloc (BNS) has proposed a gross minimum wage of 4,652 lei for 2027, citing data that one-third of the Romanian workforce earns no more than 5% above the current minimum. BNS President Dumitru Costin moderated a debate on the proposal with government officials, including Minister of Labour Petre Florin Manole, arguing that current wage distribution remains stagnant despite European directives. The union is pushing for a transparent mechanism based on collective bargaining and an official minimum consumption basket.

Parallel to these demands, Sorin Grindeanu, President of the Social Democratic Party, called for the creation of a new unified wage law to eliminate systemic inequities and correct compensation disparities. Grindeanu emphasized that the law must be developed alongside employers and unions, explicitly stating that raising salaries for high-ranking public officials should be the lowest priority.

Regarding specific wage hikes, including a separate proposal to raise the minimum wage to 5,000 lei, Grindeanu asserted that decisions must depend on budget availability. He expects substantive discussions to take place in late November or early December, following the release of the European Commission's autumn forecast and October's financial execution report.