Labour Pact conference to discuss market trends, skilled labour shortage

Skilled labour shortage and its impact on companies, attracting skill labour and surveying market trends are some of the subjects to be discussed on Wednesday at a Labour Pact conference in Cluj-Napoca. "Romania needs a stable, predictable economy, where economic laws are not changed every year, an economy where the country's budget is built on real bases. We need an economy where business people do not wake up overnight to being compelled to find ways to counter some hasty government ordinances or decisions. According to the data provided by the National Institute of Statistics, for each 1,000 working women there are 1,665 unemployed women, which is happening amidst a labour crisis. That is why, together with the Oil and Gas Employers' Federation (FPPG), we at CONAF are trying to bring local administration officials, the government and also business people to the 'negotiating table.' Only together will we be able to find proposals that will resolve the shortage of active workforce. The first step we need to take together is to identify ways to attract skilled labour," CONAF Chair Cristina Chiriac told AGERPRES on Tuesday. She pointed out that the Labour Pact represents an initiative of the National Confederation of Female Entrepreneurship (CONAF) and the Oil and Gas National Federation in quest for viable long-term solutions and strategies that will contribute to narrowing the labour deficit. "Tomorrow, in Cluj Napoca, at the first conference of this project, we will try, together with the political decision-makers and also with business people to provide answers to a series of questions related to the labour market trends, skilled labour shortage and ways of attracting a skilled workforce. At the same time, we will discuss the shortcomings in the field of legislation that lead to financial risks for companies, the working capital and the mix of products and services. The conclusions of these discussions will materialise in what might be called a 'memorandum of understanding' agreed upon and supported by all the attendees. The document will represent the starting point in negotiations with local and national decision-makers in order to establish ways to improve legislation and, implicitly, conditions on the labor market in Romania," added the Chiriac. Released at the conference will be a study on employment in Romania in the EU context, an analysis of the latest available data carried out by the Association for Strategic and Decisional Analysis. Minister of European Funds Roxana Minzatu, professors Mircea Cosea and Mihaela Lutas, entrepreneurs, top managers of large companies, local administration officials, and specialists, will be among those to about skilled labour shortage and its impact on the business of companies. Attendance is free, and registrations can be made by visiting www.conaf.ro or by e-mail to conferinte@conaf.ro. AGERPRES (RO - author: Nicoleta Gherasi, editor: Mariana Nica; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)