Several thousand coal miners have marched in western Romania, refusing to go down the mines for the fourth consecutive day over low salaries and work conditions, according to AP. The march on Thursday came after negotiations with government officials over pay broke down. The miners threatened to walk to Bucharest, some miles 205 miles (330 kilometers) away, but police prevented them by blocking a bridge leading out of the city. Miners want the state-owned company to respect a January agreement that gives them a 10 percent wage increase. The state-owned coal mining company in Petrosani has seven mines and employs 7,800 people. Romania is expected to lay off 3,300 mining employees by 2018, as part of an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
