Author: Munteanu Daniel
Foreign workers
Foreign workers at the will of their employers Foreign workers have become a regular presence on the construction sites and on the streets of Romania. Although their number has increased spectacularly in recent years, contributing to the economic development of the country, we still meet them with insufficient laws to protect them from abuse, with unprepared authorities and unions that ignore them. Panorama talked to institutions, trade unionists and experts to explore the scale of labor migration, the problems they face and how it affects us. How many foreign workers work in Romania The number of migrant workers globally reached 169 million in 2019, up 19 million from 2013, according to a report published by the International Labor Organization (ILO). In other words, for every 100 workers, about five are immigrants. Of these, almost a third end up in Europe, and over 13 million in Eastern Europe. In Romania, the appetite for foreign workers has grown steadily in recent years. If in 2013, the Government approved 5,500 work visas, this is the third consecutive year in which 100,000 new visas for migrants are approved. Only half rights Just as we have a law that protects Romanian workers abroad, imposes transparency and information conditions on recruitment agencies, subjects them to the control of labor inspectors and sets fines between 5,000 and 40,000 lei for those who violate them, so we should have one for the foreigners who come to Romania, says the labor law expert. lthough foreign workers are taxed by the state, in practice they do not have the same rights as Romanian workers. They should have unrestricted access to health services. In reality, this right becomes tangible only after obtaining the unique permit, a procedure that can take over four months. At the beginning of the year, the press reported the case of a Filipino nanny who had no report card for half a year. After Immigration officials repeatedly postponed her appointment. Although she had been living in Romania for over five years. The lack of an identity document did not allow her to send money home and made her fear that she could be expelled from the country. “Romania is one of the few European countries that does not send workers home shortly after the termination of the employment contract. It gives them another chance to stay, precisely to prevent abuses by employers,” says the labor law expert, Felicia Roșioru. Foreign workers who come to Romania are left behind by the state and unions, in other words they are left at the mercy of their employers The content of this article is taken from the Panorama.ro website, click here to read the entire article.
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Interview with Tetiana
Interview with Tetiana Havrylkova Our beneficiary | Please tell us a little bit about yourself. My name is Tatiana Havrylkova, I am 48 years old. I am from Kharkiv, Ukraine. How did you arrive in Romania? Who joined you? On March 16, 2022, I came to Romania with my son because I was forced to leave Ukraine to escape the war, as the city of Kharkiv was the first to come under fire. And it was dangerous to be there. What interesting and valuable things did you discover and what difficulties did you encounter in Romania? Romania is a beautiful country, rich in history and beautiful nature. We faced many difficulties. It was difficult to find housing, we didn’t get used to food, there were not enough funds to buy clothes, since we left Ukraine with only the most necessary things. And the main problem we faced was lack of knowledge of the Romanian language. Without knowledge of the language, it is difficult to find a job. How did ARCA support you particularly? ARCA, or rather, its employees helped me make a CV, called employers and various organizations, accompanied me to an interview, and I am very grateful to them for that. Thanks to ARCA, I found a job and got the opportunity to provide for my family. Describe your experience with finding a job in Romania. It was very difficult to find a job without knowing the language. However I tried to find it myself, but it did not lead to success. Thanks to cooperation with the ARCA organization, they found a vacancy for me as a cook in a restaurant. ARCA employees arranged a meeting and accompanied me to the interview. Thanks to the support of the ARCA, I was accepted and I have been working for more than 3 months. What did you wish to find in Romania and you didn’t find? In Romania I hoped to receive protection and help. Of course, I did not find support from the state from the first days of being in Romania, I also cannot expect help from the state, benefits are not paid, and housing is very expensive. You have to rely only on yourself. Unfortunately, I believe that Romania does not fulfill its obligations to the European Union by accepting Ukrainians. Only certain non-governmental organizations, like ARCA, provide assistance. What are your plans for the future if returning to Ukraine would not be an option? Do you think about staying in Romania or going to another country? I cannot answer this question. In Romania, people are not valued, their work is not valued, the laws do not work, and I am convinced of this, because I have been here for almost 2 years. And I’m thinking about changing the country. The current article is part of a series of communication materials with the overall objective to increase awareness around migration-related issues through #constructive narratives. The project #UkraineNow is co-financed by the European Union through Erasmus+. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content, which reflects only the views of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
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Christmas Event
How celebrating together can be seen as a step towards local integration On the coming Christmas Holidays in Romania, we found the perfect occasion to celebrate together with the Ukrainian community. Brings the spirit of Christmas On 19th of December ARCA organized a cultural event at the intersection of multiple relevant events, both international and national, Ukrainian and Romanian. We met on this day with the occasion of International Migrants Day (18th of December), St. Nicholas Day in Ukraine (19th of December) and Christmas on 25th of December in both Romania and officially also in Ukraine since the legislative change took place in Ukraine in the middle of 2023. Since 2017, the date has been one of the official state holidays. Before that, Christmas was celebrated by many on January 7 by the Julian calendar. We made a public invitation to Ukrainian families, but places were limited. So mothers and children who called first were given priority to participate. The event gathered 111 participants. It was definitely a challenge for our team members to manage all people’s kind requests, while cramming in a reasonably sized office space. Drawing on the board was a leisure activity keeping children preoccupied and enthusiastic about the Christmas holidays, some moments to unleash their creative potential. Adults also assisted children with drawing, becoming not just a source of joy for children, but an opportunity for parents to guide children in their artistic expression. Gift sharing was also on our agenda Christmas presents for young children were prepared before, ready to be offered by Santa’s assistants to the little ones. The packages included fruits, sweets and snacks, as well as stationary in case they enjoyed drawing and coloring. This opportunity was used to provide assistance to other organizations, special presents for teens over the age of 15 were distributed also, Romanian Angel Appeal being the organization who offered them to ARCA to be assisted with one of their specific activities addressing youth. 82 children received gifts from our sponsors and spent time with pleasure in a cheerful atmosphere. FOR A SUCCESSFUL CELEBRATION CONSIDER AN AGENDA THAT INCLUDES WILLINGNESS COOPERATION TOGETHERNESS BENEVOLENCE PLAYING SHARING JOY HOME COOKED FOOD GATHERING US ALL AROUND THE TABLE CHRISTMAS TREE & CAROLS FRUITS & SWEETS FREE TALKS LAUGHTER RELAXATION As members of the civil society we consider that by working on creating a welcoming environment and offering the migrant community a shared space of values and traditions more possible steps can be taken towards local integration, thus building on the existing commonalities while addressing the existing gaps and differences. The wellbeing of people is vital for any efforts to be considered further as required by any new society in terms of language, culture, employment prospects and social integration. In the end, a good human relationship with the other triggers the best results in any of us. Happy New Year! The current article is part of a series of communication materials with the overall objective to increase awareness around migration-related issues through #constructive narratives. The project #UkraineNow is co-financed by the European Union through Erasmus+. The European Commission’s support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the content, which reflects only the views of the authors. The Commission cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
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Arca’s club keep going
Arca’s club keep going Thanks to our sponsor, Kindernothilfe, Arca’s Club keeps going with a new implementation phase 15.08.2023- 15.08.2024 thus our project continues for all humanitarian migrants with special focus on children. Activities such as social assistance, financial support, vocational counseling and mediation with employers, language classes, psychological counseling and regular workshops on human rights, childrens rights but also cultural events will be implemented throughout the entire period. Nevertheless, art therapy, arts and crafts classes, sport competitions and many other suprises will take place inside the Youth Migrant Club in Bucharest. Contact us at office@arca.org.ro to find out more!
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