It is becoming increasingly difficult to assess the situation in Ramnicu Valcea, as local media report that hundreds of workers of petrochemical group Oltchim (Ramnicu Valcea / Romania; www.oltchim.ro) have launched strikes – among others to protest the fact that they have apparently not been paid in two months (for most recent coverage, see Plasteurope.com of 31.08.2012). At the same time, CEO Constantin Roibu resigned after 21 years on the job in protest over the way the group’s privatisation is being handled. His move was followed by 17 other high-ranking managers. However, in view of the impending sale of the group, their days had probably been numbered anyway. Roibu’s temporary replacement is his deputy and Oltchim CFO Nicolae Radu Olaru.

Bogdan Hossu, head of the Cartel Alfa (www.cartel-alfa.ro) union, has threatened that workers will go on a company-wide strike in the coming week. “If by Friday 14 September part of the outstanding salaries has not been paid, we will launch a general strike on Monday,” he is cited. He also warned that a privatisation of the group would not only result in 3,400 direct employees losing their jobs, but another 7,000 workers would be threatened as well.

The workers fear the company’s privatisation will result in sell-offs and redundancies. As a result, 14 employees have entered into a hunger strike, which they plan to end only once the country’s economic minister Daniel Chitoiu agrees to talk to a delegation composed of Oltchim’s workers.

Romanian prime minister Victor Ponta has asked the employees not to endanger the proposed sale of Oltchim to an investor by launching protest campaigns. Reports indicate that two “large investors from different regions” have expressed an interest in acquiring the group.

Amid insufficient funds, Oltchim has been sending hundreds of workers into technical unemployment for months now, as output appears to have been reduced to 30% of the group’s overall nameplate capacity. The state plans to sell its 54.8% stake in the company to a private investor on 17 September.