Construction workers block Odense hospital site over unpaid wages

Around 50 Romanian and Italian workers from the bankrupt firm Techno Build blocked an entrance to the construction site of Odense’s new university hospital (Nyt OUH) early Wednesday, demanding a month’s unpaid wages, Danish broadcaster DR reports.

The protest began at 7 a.m., with workers using vehicles to obstruct access to the site, according to DR Fyn reporter Charlotte Pedersen. Police later intervened, and the blockade was cleared shortly afterward.

One of the protesters, Romanian worker Ionut Cimpuesu, told DR that he and his colleagues had not been paid for a month. “We can’t afford food. We just want our wages so we can go home,” he said.

Techno Build, the employer, has declared bankruptcy. The protest follows similar complaints three weeks ago from workers at another firm, Raffa and Team Solutions, who also claimed months of unpaid wages.

The main contractor, Odense Hospital Project Team (OHPT), declined to comment, stating only that it was “working to find a solution.” A spokesperson for Nyt OUH confirmed the blockade had not disrupted construction.