While preparing the food for animals, László shows their family’s two square meter kitchen attached directly to their sleeping/sitting room. SUMMARY: LABOUR AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS 1. PAYMENTS BELOW THE MINIMUM WAGE. Romanian garment workers usually receive the minimum wage or other amounts just above the minimum wage, which often includes overtime too – in average 10 – 15 hours overtime per week. That means, that often workers are not paid the legal minimum wage for their regular working hours. During low season, workers may earn less than the minimum wage right away. In spite of a spectacular raise in the gross minimum wage, i.e. from 1,450 RON/ €310 in 2017 to 1,900 RON/€407 in 2018, this hike did not make too much of a difference in the workers' pockets. The gross pay raise was overcome by a surge in the social contributions paid by the employees from 16.5% in 2017 to 35% in 2018. 2. UNPAID OVERTIME Every other factory surveyed does not pay overtime to their employees. Usually, wage is paid on piece rate basis; regular working hours and overtime hours are paid according to the same piece rate. In those cases when overtime was paid as an addition to the normal wage, workers reportedly earned an additional 100-250 RON(€21-53) net per month in both 2017 and 2018. 3. WORKERS' WAGES COVERS 14% OF A LIVING WAGE: WORKING IN THE GARMENT INDUSTRY GENERATES POVERTY INSTEAD OF ELIMINATING IT. Coping strategies that workers and their families use to survive: most workers take loans to pay for some of their basic living expenses. In order to service their debts workers depend on regular wage incomes, which increases their dependency on their jobs. Moreover, workers' families grow their own food, seek seasonal jobs abroad and live constantly in survival mode without even thinking of basic recreational activities(like going out for a coffee or movie, trips, etc.). Share of workers' wages in living wage: % 14 Share of workers' wages in the poverty line income % 73 Share of minimum wage in living wage % 17 Share of minimum wage in the poverty line income % 82 3 ROMANIA 2018