ELCEN employees protest at the Energy Ministry / Union members call for salary negotiations to be unblocked and threaten a general strike

ELCEN employees gathered on Thursday, starting at 2:00 p.m., in front of the Ministry of Energy, to demand that the memorandum concerning the increase in wage expenses be unblocked. Union members claim that incomes are no longer keeping pace with rising prices and are requesting the right to negotiate wages according to the company’s financial situation.

The protest is organized by the Independent Free Trade Union of the Bucharest Power Plant Branch (SLI-SEB), which estimates that at least 500 employees will participate. Employee representatives accuse the authorities of failing to produce concrete results in discussions and warn that the protests could continue until a general strike is initiated.

Such action could affect the operation of power plants during the cold season, when demand for thermal energy is high.

Similar protests have been announced in Iași and Constanța. The actions are organized by unions affiliated with the National Federation of Energy Workers of Romania and also target the restrictions on wage expenses imposed through OUG 89/2025. The federation is calling for wages to be negotiable according to the economic possibilities of each company.

ELCEN is the largest producer of thermal energy in Romania and supplies approximately 90% of the production intended for Bucharest.