Union leader Marius Petcu said the agreement signed with health minister Eugen Nicolaescu will serve as a base a future government decree, to be drafted by December 15, that will stipulate raises for healthcare employees as of January 1, 2009.
Petcu added that under the agreement, wages of staff in the healthcare sector will increase by at least 10% and a grid regulating wages for each category of healthcare employees is to be drafted by experts by December 15.
"We haven’t yet completed the grid for each category, but the average wage increase will vary. Employees with low salaries will receive raises of at least 20%,” Petcu said.
He added that prevention bonuses, which currently stand at 11% of the salary, will increase to 15% as of January, and loyalty bonuses, which are currently granted twice a year, will be granted three times a year. Healthcare employees will also receive a base salary as vacation bonus.