Thousands of workers went on strike Monday at the Dacia-Renault car plant in southern Romania to demand improved pay and conditions, AP reported. Trade union leader Ion Iordache said 10,000 workers were striking at the Mioveni factory, about 110 kilometers (68 miles) northwest of Bucharest; the company said less than half of the 12,000 work force was on strike. The union has demanded salaries to almost double for the lowest-paid workers, who currently get (¤160, US$248) a month _ less than the national average. It also has asked for better bonuses and discounts on cars. Dacia-Renault spokesman Liviu Ion said the company could offer a 19 percent wage increase, some three times the predicted inflation rate for the year, but the factory had losses of ¤60 million (US$93 million) that made a higher offer unrealistic. «It is normal to want a higher standard of living,» but it has to be economically sustainable, he said at a news conference. The company later challenged the legality of the strike at the county court, but it was unclear if and when there might be a hearing. The strike was called after talks broke down between management and workers. Four thousand workers also went on strike on March 14 over the same issue.
