The Romanian industry on the edge of extinction due to lack of labor

Aurel Dragan 06/04/2018 | 15:10

Workforce shortage is hitting more and more industries and now it is the turn of the milling and bakery industry to announced that needs about 8,000 people. “But today’s youth prefer computers, offices or anything else than baker”, says ROMPAN president Aurel Popescu for Agerpres.

It is not only the baker job that has no calling for the young, but also electricians, mechanics or welders and the list can go on with many similar jobs.

The lack of qualified workers is related also to the closure of vocational schools and to the fact that youngsters would rather go to work broad in the same field. “Although the wages are quite attractive in Romania too”, says Aurel Popescu. But this is not true especially in small towns or rural areas, even if the head of ROMPAN claims that the salary is at least RON 1,500 in the industry plus bonuses like free bread, lunch vouchers, Christmas and Easter bonuses.

On the other hand, ROMPAN President is complaining that if the price of the bread goes up, everybody starts jumping, but no one knows that the big retail stores are ever asking for higher discounts, a situation that will lead to many producers to stop working with supermarkets.

Meanwhile, the opening of specialst bread shops, an old projects in the industry, remains just an idea as long as the rent for a place is very expensive. `We have opened a specialised shop and everything we have gained went to cver the rent, while the salary for emploies had to come from other sources”, explained Aurel Popescu.

Today, the industry employs around 60,000 people, with 10,000 less from previous years, and brea consumption had also decreased from 90 kilos per capita to 80 kilos.