Hundreds of employees from the sanitary-veterinary departments protested on Friday, November 8, 2024, for two hours. They demand the alignment of their salaries with those received by colleagues from other budgetary institutions. If the claims are not resolved, the activity may be blocked.
Employees of the sanitary-veterinary and food safety departments (DSVSA) have started protest movements that could culminate in the blocking of activity in certain sectors, such as factories for processing agricultural and livestock products or customs, where the presence of veterinarians is mandatory. Their dissatisfaction is related to the fact that, the strikers claim, they would have lower salaries with amounts between 500-1,000 lei compared to other categories of budget workers who work in similar fields.
The employees of DSVSA Olt protested on Friday, November 8, 2024, in front of the institution PHOTO: A. Mitran
And at DSVSA Olt, the institution’s employees were on strike on Friday, November 8, 2024, between 10:00 and 12:00. They came out in front of the headquarters, carrying strike signs.
The leader of the Olt Free Union of Veterinary Sanitary Personnel, affiliated to the ALFA Cartel, explained that it is actually the second day of protest, after the Japanese strike held two days ago. However, it will not be the last, depending on the reaction of the governors, it may even come to the interruption of the activity, which will also affect other sectors.
DSVSA staff protested all over the country PHOTO Source: Radu Constantin
“Today we have a warning strike between 10.00 and 12.00, for the application of the single salary law and for our institution, and for the veterinarians in the DSVSAs. We want our salary scales to be aligned with those of our colleagues from the agricultural departments, the National Animal Husbandry Authority, AFIR and APIA, institutions that work in agriculture and animal husbandry, just like us, with European funds, with farmers, with animal owners , with preparation factories, with slaughterhouses“, declared Radu Constantin, for “Adevărul”.
DSVSA staff protested all over the country PHOTO Source: Radu Constantin
From DSVSA Olt, approximately 50 employees out of a total of 64 protested, while protests were also taking place in the country during the same time interval.
“At the national level, these protests are taking place, according to a well-established plan. All the state institutions that respond, namely the DSVSAs, the ITM and the Prefect’s Institution, have been notified by all the leaders in the country, including us, and we will continue the protests until all our problems are solved”, added the union leader of DSVSA Olt.
DSVSA staff protested all over the country PHOTO Source: Radu Constantin
According to the communicated calendar, DSVSA employees will continue the protests on Monday, November 11, 2024, when in the time interval 10:00 – 12:00 they will picket the headquarters of the prefectures.
The action they decide to take from November 14, 2024 could lead to business disruption in several business sectors.
DSVSA staff protested all over the country PHOTO Source: Radu Constantin
“On November 14, at 10:00 a.m., until November 15, at 10:00 a.m., the activity in the preparation factories and slaughterhouses will be blocked, respectively by the colleagues who have duties in this regard, and in on the 20th we will continue with the picketing of the Government of Romania, at 10:00 a.m.”, Constantine also said.
Aligning their salaries with those of colleagues from other institutions with activity in the same sector would cost monthly, the employees estimated, less than the losses generated by the interruption of the activity of the sanitary-veterinary staff in customs for a single day.
