8. Decent Work And Economic Growth

SDG 8 – DECENT WORK AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

INTRODUCTION

SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth aims to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. It emphasizes the importance of decent work, providing fair income, security, and rights that allow individuals to maintain a decent standard of living while contributing to economic growth. It also focuses on economic growth that is sustainable and inclusive, creating jobs and improving living standards without exploiting workers or harming the environment. Finally, it highlights labour rights protection, ensuring the recognition, evidence, and enforcement of labor rights, preventing forced labor, child labor, and modern slavery, and promoting equality and safe working conditions.

Context

Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași (UAIC) operates as a public institution under the Romanian Constitution, national legislation, and relevant European and international standards in higher education and vocational training. As a state-funded institution, UAIC is financed through the national budget and through internally generated revenues, which are managed in accordance with the principles of university autonomy.

UAIC’s organizational framework and operational principles are guided by the National Education Law and institutional regulations, ensuring alignment with national and European labor standards. The university is committed to:

• Academic freedom and institutional autonomy;
• Equitable access to study programs, research opportunities, and cultural activities;
• Non-discrimination based on sex, age, race, ethnicity, religion, or political affiliation;
• Student-centered education and inclusive learning;
• Promotion of national and international collaboration in research and education;
• Transparency and accountability in all decision-making and management processes;
• Ethics and integrity, ensuring independence from religious, ideological, doctrinal, or political influences;
• Fair access to resources, both financial and material.

UAIC’s institutional policies reflect the following core strategies:

• Ensuring free and equal access to study programmes, research and cultural activities;
• Ensuring non‑discrimination on grounds of sex, age, race, ethnicity, religion or political affiliation;
• Upholding academic freedom, university autonomy, student‑centred education;
• Promoting national and international cooperation in research and education;
• Ensuring equitable access to financial and material resources;
• Ensuring transparency in decision‑making and resource‑management;
• Ensuring independence from religious, ideological, doctrinal or political influences.

Through these policies, UAIC actively contributes to the implementation of SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, ensuring fair, ethical, and inclusive employment practices across all levels of the institution.

These policies provide the enabling strategy for UAIC’s employment‑practice framework, helping to align employer behavior with the UN Targets underlying SDG 8.

Employment Practice and Living Wage

UAIC ensures that all staff and faculty receive salaries at least equal to the legal minimum wage in Romania. For 2025, the minimum wage is 4050 RON per month. Salaries are defined according to national legislation and internal university regulations. The university ensures transparent recruitment and fair compensation practices in alignment with SDG 8 principles of decent work and equitable pay. Recruitment and remuneration are conducted transparently, with salaries determined based on:

• Position and qualifications;
• Legal requirements;
• Internal regulations ensuring equitable compensation
• Sufficient staffing levels to meet the operational needs of academic and research activities.

By applying these practices, UAIC meets living wage standards, provides supporting evidence, and publishes salary transparency.

Recognition of Unions and Labour Rights

The UAIC Trade Union (“UNIO”), established in 1990, plays a central role in protecting the rights of employees. Its objectives include:

• Ensuring respect for labor rights and social security;
• Guaranteeing employment aligned with qualifications and professional competence;
• Facilitating professional development and skill enhancement;
• Promoting freedom of expression and collective action;
• Ensuring workplace safety and equitable pay;
• Negotiating additional leave, salary increases, and protective measures for employees in difficult or hazardous conditions.

Union representatives participate in university management structures, including commissions for quality management. Collective labor contracts are updated every five years through consultation between management and union representatives, ensuring participatory governance.

Thus, UAIC satisfies SDG 8 by showing recognized and publicly documented labour‑rights mechanisms.

Anti-Discrimination Policy

UAIC implements comprehensive anti-discrimination measures through its:

• University Charter;
• Code of Ethics;
• Internal Regulations for employees;
• Gender Equality Plan (2022–2025).

The UAIC Code of Ethics formalizes expected standards of professional, moral, and civic conduct, guiding employees toward exemplary behavior and academic integrity. The Gender Equality Plan reflects UAIC’s commitment to the EU’s core principles of equality, inclusion, and non-discrimination. UAIC has institutional mechanisms, including the Center for Gender Equality in Science, to ensure gender equity in recruitment, promotions, and professional development.

UAIC meets the SDG 8: policy existence, supporting evidence, public availability, and up‑to‑date review.

Anti-Forced Labour and Modern Slavery

As a public institution, UAIC strictly adheres to Romanian law, which prohibits forced labor, modern slavery, human trafficking, and child labor. All employment procedures, salary payments, and administrative processes are conducted legally. Compliance is verified through internal mechanisms such as:

• Internal Public Audit Office;
• Preventive Financial Control Office;
• Annual reporting to the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance.

Periodic external evaluations, including assessments by the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (last external audit: May 2022), confirm adherence to labor regulations and ethical employment practices. UAIC therefore contributes to SDG 8 by committing to and publicly documenting its stance against modern slavery and related abuses

Equal Rights in Outsourcing

UAIC does not outsource the employment of its teaching and administrative staff to third‑party providers. Therefore, all staff are directly employed and enjoy full employment rights under national legislation and internal regulations. Documentation of employment structure is available through institutional statutes and annual reports.

Pay Scale Equity and Gender Equality

UAIC ensures pay equity and gender equality through compliance with the Single Salary Law, which establishes transparent salary scales based on work responsibilities, position weight, and performance. The university ensures:

• No gender-based discrimination in hiring or remuneration;
• Regular monitoring of pay scales;
• Recruitment and promotion based solely on merit, qualifications, and competence.

UAIC applies a statutory salary structure compliant with the Single Salary Law in Romania. The framework guarantees equal pay for equal work, prohibits gender‑based discrimination in remuneration, and bases salary increments on position weight, qualification and performance. The Gender Equality Plan provides a strategic commitment to eliminate gender pay gaps. Salary transparency is maintained via public disclosures. UAIC maintains recruitment and remuneration procedures that ensure hiring based on qualifications and competence, without discrimination by gender. While publicly published gender pay gap data may be limited, the institutional frameworks (Gender Equality Plan, Code of Ethics, internal monitoring) establish ongoing measurement and review of pay equity. The university therefore engages in tracking gender equity in pay scales.

Employee Appeals and Rights

UAIC provides formal processes for employees to appeal employment decisions or remuneration disputes. Employees can seek support from the Trade Union and invoke internal regulations and the Labor Code. Employment vacancies, application procedures, and results are publicly posted on the UAIC website, ensuring transparency and fairness. These transparent processes satisfy the requirements of SDG 8.

ACTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING SDG 4

Research on Gender Equality

UAIC implements SDG 8 through a variety of actions aimed at fostering decent work and inclusive labor practices:

1. Regular Review of Compensation and Living Wage Compliance
   • Salaries are regularly updated in line with national minimum wage legislation and internal agreements.
   • Transparency reports on salary structures are published annually.
2. Union Collaboration and Worker Representation
   • UAIC maintains an active Trade Union to support collective bargaining, worker rights, and workplace safety.
   • Union representatives participate in university committees and decision-making bodies.
3. Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Measures
   • The Gender Equality Plan (2022–2025) is periodically reviewed to align with societal and institutional needs.
   • Policies from the University Charter, the Code of Ethics, and Internal Regulations actively promote non-discrimination and equal opportunities.
4. Compliance with Labor Laws and Human Rights Standards
   • Employment procedures follow Romanian labor law and international standards, eliminating risks of forced labor or exploitation.
   • External audits, internal audits, and evaluations by the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education ensure continuous compliance.
5. Transparent Recruitment and Appeals Processes
   • Vacancies, application procedures, and employment results are published publicly.
   • Employees can appeal employment decisions through established channels with the support of the union.
6. Monitoring and Reporting
   • Employment, pay equity, and labor rights are continuously monitored through internal audits, periodic reviews, and official reports to the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Finance.

CONCLUSION

“Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași demonstrates a comprehensive commitment to SDG 8 – promoting decent work, fair labor practices, and inclusive policies. Through transparent salary practices, active union collaboration, anti-discrimination measures, gender equality initiatives, and strict compliance with labor laws, UAIC ensures a safe, equitable, and supportive working environment for all employees.

The university’s policies and actions align with both national and European legislation, while internal mechanisms guarantee continuous monitoring, improvement, and adherence to ethical and legal standards. By fostering fair employment practices, UAIC contributes not only to the professional and personal development of its staff but also to the broader social and economic well-being of the community it serves.