The union at the Romanian state-owned company Oil Terminal (BVB: OIL) are preparing a general strike next month, the company informed its shareholders and investors on the Bucharest Stock Exchange on Tuesday, October 27.
The company, headquartered in Constanța, operates one of the largest oil terminals in southeastern Europe, importing and exporting crude oil.
The Oil Terminal union initiated the labor dispute on August 1, 2026, after the company’s management refused to adjust salaries by 6.5%, arguing that the government had not adopted a Memorandum allowing it to increase them, according to Replicaonline.
Since then, there have been several discussions between management and employees, but no agreement has been reached, and strike procedures have been initiated. The company’s employees held warning strikes on September 10 and 16, each lasting two hours and without interrupting operations.
According to the announcement, a meeting to conciliate a collective labor dispute initiated by the union took place on October 26, attended by the employer’s delegation, the union’s delegation, and representatives of the Constanța Territorial Labor Inspectorate (ITM). No mutually agreed solution was reached regarding the union’s demands for a salary increase. Under these circumstances, the Oil Terminal union decided to call a strike.
First, a warning strike will take place on October 30, with work being stopped. Starting November 18, the union threatened to launch an indefinite general strike.
The union intended to launch an indefinite general strike on September 28, after the initial date had been set for September 17. However, the court ruled at the time that the strike was illegal and halted it, but the decision was not final. Subsequently, efforts to launch the strike continued.
Oil Terminal argued in court that a potential shutdown of its operations would affect at least 50% of Romania’s fuel supply, according to Profit.ro. It also warned that a delay of four to five days could lead to crude oil stocks being depleted at the OMV-operated Petrobrazi refinery.
Oil Terminal argued that the refineries currently operating in Romania cover approximately 40–50% of the country’s fuel needs, with the rest coming from shipments handled through Oil Terminal, mainly through the South Depot.
In this context, the intended shutdown of operations “constitutes a genuine attack on national security and will have an immediate and severe impact on fuel distribution in Romania,” the company also stated in court.
In response to the union’s threats, Oil Terminal’s management maintained that it “will take all necessary steps to defend the company’s interests and limit the impact on its operations.”
Fuel prices in Romania are already at historic highs. A liter of diesel now sells for an average of RON 10.90, almost 40% more than at the beginning of the year.
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