Trade unions in Moldova demand to call an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Dorin Recean to examine measures to increase salaries and social benefits for the population. Without them, the citizens will not be able to support themselves and pay for public utilities as a result of the increase in gas charges, warned the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova, quoted by IPN.

In a statement, the unions note that the increase in charges and prices will have a devastating impact on the well-being of citizens.

"Even in the case of employees who contribute to the formation of the national public budget by paying taxes and fees, the increase in charges and all chain prices will be impossible to mitigate. Even for a family with two employees who earn an average monthly national salary and who have to support two children, covering daily expenses against the background of a significant increase in charges and prices will be practically impossible during the heating season. The situation of people who are paid a minimum salary or the elderly, who, although they contributed to the country's prosperity through their work, is also difficult. At the moment, they are on the verge of despair amidst the heating season," reads the statement.

The National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova calls on the Government and Parliament, as a matter of urgency, to establish, starting with January 1, 2025, a minimum salary in the amount of 6,000 lei and to increase by 30% the reference values for setting salaries in the budgetary sector, according to the law on the unitary salary system in the public sector.

The trade unions also demand to increase by 30%, starting with January 1, 2025, the salaries of medical personnel, financed from the Mandatory Health Insurance Fund, and to take urgent measures to clear the salary arrears to the employees of the state-owned enterprise "Moldova’s Railways".

The Confederation also requests to increase the compensation granted to citizens for energy for the 2024-2025 winter season and to improve the mechanism for granting them, the indexation of childcare allowances in payment, based on the inflation rate, and to also adopt a law to cap the prices and charges for products and services provided to the population, including by limiting the commercial markup and profitability.

Also, the trade unions ask that compensation or concessions should be granted to economic agents, especially those operating in the agri-food sector, which, in the production process, use energy resources so as to prevent the increase in food prices.

In case of ignorance of the requests, the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova announces its determination to mobilize union members in order to defend the rights and guarantees stipulated by the Labor Code and the norms of international law.

On Friday, November 29, the National Agency for Energy Regulation approved an increase of 3.4 lei in the gas charge to 15.5 lei per cubic meter. With VAT, the charge will be 16.74 lei. The new rates take effect on Sunday, December 1.