Updated country study Romania online

FWF has published an updated version of the country study Romania. Some issues of concern in the Romanian garment industry are wages, working hours and trade union representation.

The garment sector remains an important economic sector for Romania, with the export value of garments ranking fourth after machinery, metal, and vehicles. In the leather footwear sector, Romania is among the top exporters in the world.

Low wages
The competitive advantage of Romania is related to low wages. The legal minimum wage is low in relation to an estimated minimum living wage. It’s also relatively low compared to other industries in Romania. Wages are lower than average wages in other European countries.

This recently published article describes the poor conditions that workers face in a specific Romanian garment factory. ‘Workers can endure poverty-level wages, long hours and arduous conditions to make clothes for major brands’, it says.

Widespread issues
The issues that journalist Laura Stefanut reports about are endemic in the garment industry. FWF requires brands that encounter these kinds of problems to work closely together with suppliers to fix problems over time, instead of ending business relationships.

Read the country study Romania here.