Development of Labor Relations in Romania from the Perspective of Stakeholders

Romania is a typical example that international stakeholders have a negative impact on workers’ rights. The development of labor relations in Romania after the system transformation can be roughly divided into three stages. The first stage is from 1990s to 2003, during which the trade unions was relatively powerful and influential due to the unstable relationship between the Romanian government and international organizations. The second stage is from 2003 to the beginning of financial crisis (2009), when the Labor Code adopted in 2003 was strongly opposed by both international organizations and employers’ associations. In 2005, the government and international organizations attempted to amend the Labor Code, but Romanian trade unions managed to stop the reform. The third stage is during and after the financial crisis in 2009, when the trade unions was greatly weakened. The trade unions and workers suffered unprecedent losses especially after the introduction of the new Labor Code in 2011 and Social Dialogue Law in 2011.