League of Miners Unions of the Jiu Valley
The Miners Union League of the Jiu Valley () represents the miners of the Jiu Valley. Membership Union membership is voluntary, although it is widely accepted that all the miners are members of their respective mine's union. Union membership includes underground miners, individuals with jobs related to the mines, and retired miners. While there do not appear to be negative consequences to not joining the union, non-members are ineligible for benefits. Members pay the Union approximately 1.5% of their monthly salaries (after income tax) in basic membership fees. However, members are also required to pay other fees for Union projects. These include sponsoring the Jiul Petroşani soccer team (which the Union supports because this team represents the Jiu Valley), as well as funds for the local miner's sports clubs (almost each mine has a soccer team, though Lupeni also has a rugby team, and Aninoasa also has an archery club and a kind of bowling team). Union Organization and Leadership According to Romanian law, union representatives must be employees of the institutions/companies whose workers they represent. Once a member is elected as a union representative, he remains an employee of his respective mine. However, during his term of office in