Open doors: wood industry trade unions leaders visit Holzindustrie Schweighofer Baco

A group of 40 union leaders from the Romanian wood industry visited Holzindustrie Schweighofer Baco last week.

The Board of Direction of the Federation of Free Trade Unions from the Wood Industry (FSLIL) had a meeting in Bacau county and accepted the invitation from Ionel Lupu, the leader of the local BaCo Union, as well as from the company’smanagement, to visit the blockboard factory of the Schweighofer Group.

The guests attended a brief presentation of the Schweighofer Group and Holzindustrie Schweighofer Baco, followed by a tour of the production sections, accompanied by Ionel Lupu and the mill managers.

“I’m very glad we managed to bring our colleagues from the wood industry from all over the country to HS Baco,” said Ionel Lupu, BaCo Union leader. “Finally they had the opportunity to see our factory and they were strongly impressed. I’ve talked to them before, but seeing with your own eyes is an entirely different matter. They had already told me ‘You really are something!’”

The Romanian wood industry is confronted with a lack of skilled workforce, as many workers have gone abroad, especially in other EU countries, for better wages. Also, the raw material – Romanian wood – is getting more expensive each year, with many companies resorting to massive imports.

Yet, Holzindustrie Schweighofer Baco is one rare example of a company that successfully manages this combined pressure. Its strong and stable workforce constantly yields high-quality products, by adding value to local timber and using its resources responsibly.

FSLIL president, Dan Anghel, had visited HS Baco a few years prior and found recent developments uplifting, as his fellow members of the Board often expressed their excitement out loud.

“Everybody is delighted and has a hard time finding their words,” Dan Anghel said. “We are glad you keep to the same high standard and the collective labour contract is respected. Wages are a still a bit low in the entire wood industry, hopefully a new labour contract will change that. But work conditions are outstanding, and the employees are content. Congratulations!”

Added mill manager Alexandru Agache: “Our employees are among the best in the industry. We are proud of them and we believe they are our most important resource. That’s why we support their professional development, provide them with benefits and strive for a close cooperation with each worker and with the entire team, including the union. We keep getting stronger if we work together closely, so teamwork is the cornerstone for our success.”

The FSLIL has more than 20,000 union members in Romania, from companies across the entire wood industry (including forestry, processing and furniture), both in the public and private sectors. The BaCo Union, represented at Holzindustrie Schweighofer Baco, is an affiliated member to the Federation.