The President of the Cartel Alfa National Trade Union Confederation, Bogdan Hossu, told Business Standard that the number of unemployed will continue to rise in the second half of 2009, but the level will depend on the governmental policies in the field.
“Based on our data, the industry cut more than 250,000 jobs, and the evolution by year-end depends entirely on what the government will do about this. If large infrastructure works begin and if signed contracts will stipulate that the construction materials be purchased from the national reserve or the Romanian market, there will be at least two segments – metallurgy and the cement industry – that will shun unemployment and will have production for at least one year,” Hossu said.
He added that measures taken by the government for stabilizing the labor market have been few and inefficient. The National Employment Agency (ANOFM) reported a jobless rate of six percent at the end of June and 549,000 unemployed. The authorities estimate a total number of unemployed of 650,000 at the end of 2009.
