Romanian commerce union wins UNI’s Breaking Through award

The Trade Union Federation of Commerce (FSC) in Romania has won UNI’s Breaking Through Award for securing improved working conditions and union representation at Auchan’s 400-plus stores in the country. Through dogged on-the-ground organizing, the FSC gained over 2,500 members at the multinational grocery retailer and reached a collective agreement covering the company’s 7,000 employees.

The FSC received the award at UNI’s World Executive Board meeting in Nyon, Switzerland, this week.

Vasile Gogescu of the FSC spoke to the meeting via video:

“We’ve waited a long time for this victory, but our wait paid off. The first step for us was the global agreement, and the during the pandemic, the organizing project. It led to a strong agreement for Auchan Romania workers. This win is a beautiful story; it’s a success story. The heart of the narrative is the solidarity workers had for each other and the solidarity UNI showed us.”

Tereza Necoara, Chairperson of Auchan Union Romania, told the room:

“On behalf of my fellow workers, I want to thank UNI Global Union both for this award and for all the support you have given us, both all of you here today and through your affiliates in Romania, the FSC.

“It was tough, but not impossible, as shown by this award, and the by the fact that now, after less than two years since legally forming the union and less than one year since we started signing up members, we reached 2,500 in membership. We signed a collective agreement, and we have union reps in most stores. We will soon start another round of bargaining in which we hope to win even more.”

After an anti-union campaign pushed out workers’ previous union, Auchan’s Romanian workforce had been without collective representation for nearly eight years.

However, with the support of UNI’s organizing centre for South-East Europe (UNISEEOC) and backed by UNI Global Union’s global agreement and strong working relationship with Auchan, the FSC launched a campaign to organize employees at the company.

“Auchan workers in Romania have achieved one of the most significant organizing victories in the global commerce sector,” said UNI Europa Regional Secretary Oliver Roethig. “This success shows the power of global agreements, the crucial role of organizing centres, and, above all, the workers’ determination to reclaim their rights and demand fair treatment.”