Economy, Labor

Unemployment has been a significant problem in Romania since the collapse of Communism in 1989; 10.8 percent of the population was unemployed in 2000. Some 42 percent of the labor force is employed in agriculture, forestry, or fishing; 28 percent in manufacturing, mining, or construction; and 31 percent in services.

The regulations governing trade unions were liberalized after the collapse of the Communist government, and significant labor unrest occurred in the early 1990s, particularly among miners. Approximately 22 percent of the working population belongs to one of a number of new trade organizations in Romania. The largest such organization is the National Free Trade Union Confederation of Romania (or, CNSLR-Fratia), which was formed by a merger in 1993 and has headquarters in Bucharest.