Around 7,000 Romanian employees of the French retailer Carrefour will protest today, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., in the hope that their salary will be increased, by increasing meal vouchers by 5 lei and granting a transport bonus. Now, says the union leader, there are employees who earn a little over 1,800 lei net, after taxing the meal bonuses with 10% CASS. The activity of the stores will not be disrupted, but around 200 people have gathered in front of the company’s headquarters.
Carrefour employees are protesting against the company management’s decision not to raise their salaries.
In addition, the employees who are part of the Romanian Carrefour Employees’ Union and who will be at work during this time frame will wear white armbands that say “Protest”. At the moment, around 70% of the employees of the Carrefour Romania group, i.e. around 7,000 people, are affiliated to the union.
“We held negotiations with the company’s management until Friday afternoon because we did not want to end up in protest, but unfortunately we did not reach an agreement. Today, after the protest, we are waiting for a new meeting with the management, after which we will make a decision”, Vasile Leescu, president of the Carrefour Romania Employees’ Union, told Economica.
According to the union leader, after the legislative changes that led to the 10% taxation of meal vouchers, starting from January 1, 2024, some of the Carrefour employees ended up earning less than the net salary of 2079 lei, which is now the value of the basic salary minimum gross per country guaranteed in payment. Under these conditions, the employees request an increase in the meal bonus from the 35 lei per day they receive now, to 40 lei as the maximum deductible amount, as well as the granting of a transport premium of 100 lei.
According to the Union’s data, 60% of Carrefour employees have the minimum wage in the economy, i.e. 3,300 lei gross. Following the taxation of meal vouchers, some of the Carrefour employees ended up earning around 1,800 lei net. By taxing meal vouchers, their monthly income decreased by approximately 140 lei.
Starting on October 1, 2023, the gross minimum basic salary per country guaranteed in payment has reached 3,300 lei per month, without allowances, increments and other additions. This increase in the gross minimum basic salary per country guaranteed in payment represents a net value of the salary of 2,079 lei, compared to 1,898 lei, which was until then.
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