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ICFTU report on labour standards in Romania |
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has published a report on core labour standards in Romania to coincide with the WTO's Trade Policy review of Romania. The main findings are that, while Romania has ratified all eight core ILO Conventions, there remain problems relating to the prevalence of child labour, discrimination and infringement of trade union rights.
In particular, the report notes that, though child labour is not a normal part of most commercial activities, there are over 300,000 child labourers in agriculture and low skilled jobs. Of these, between 60,000 to 70,000 are engaged in the worst forms of child labour. The government is working with ILO-IPEC, the agency of the ILO specialised in child labour, and has established a programme intended to eradicate child labour. The ICFTU is now calling for the government to take more urgent measures to address the high level of child labour in Romania.
Furthermore, although the government has ratified ILO Conventions 87 and 98 on freedom of association and collective bargaining, some problems persist. These relate particularly to the right to strike and the right to establish and join a trade union. In particular, unions in Romania have criticised government inaction faced with foreign investors with a strong preference for non-unionised workforces.
The report also notes that discrimination persists in Romania despite its ratification of both the internationally-recognised core labour standards in this area. This is evident with respect both to women and to the ethnic minority of Roma.
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