Will decide: to continue the strike or not
“The teachers’ march is currently taking place, we are planning to reach Vilnius next week, we are planning a rally in front of the Government, and next week the teachers will decide how long we will continue to strike, or if we do not reach an agreement, we will record that negotiations with this Government are pointless, it does not listen to the public’s expectations, than the interests of the educational community,” A. Navickas told BNS on Friday.
A. Navickas calls the collective agreement of the education and science branch signed on Friday by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports (ŠMSM) with four trade unions uniting employees of the education sector a “fake agreement” that does not meet teachers’ expectations.
“We evaluate this proposal in such a way that this contract will not make any change in the education system, nor will the salary exceed the average salary, and will not add attractiveness or prestige to the profession. The number of children in the class – also only the possibility of reducing it was agreed, it does not give anything, because the municipalities that have not received funding will certainly not reduce the classes. The contract is meaningless and pointless and we will continue the strike”, said A. Navickas.
He confirmed that after receiving the final proposals from the Government, the teachers of the trade union led by him will decide how much longer to strike. So far, the strike has been scheduled until the end of October.
“After examining the proposals, if there were no others from the Government, we will assess the situation, if we receive a specific refusal to conduct negotiations, we will decide how long we will continue the strike,” said the head of the trade union.
Minister: everything possible has been achieved
On Friday, Minister of Education, Science and Sports Gintautas Jakštas, Chairman of the Lithuanian Education and Science Trade Union Egidijus Milešinas, Chairman of the Education and Science Trade Union “Solidarumas” Aldona Kindurienė, Chairman of the Association of Lithuanian Higher Education Trade Unions Sigitas Vaitkevičius, Chairman of the Lithuanian Trade Union “Sandrauga” Kęstutis Juknis signed an updated collective agreement.
The minister invited A. Navick’s trade union, which is continuing the strike, to join her, saying that there will definitely not be more funds for salaries, and once the budget draft goes to the Seimas, “the strike becomes pointless”.
“Today we will send the final offer of the ministry and the invitation to coordinate the dates for signing the contract. The position of the ministry has remained consistent in financial terms, this is the reality of the current period. The door to the fifth trade union is open,” said G. Jakštas.
The minister noted that greater financial growth, as demanded by the trade union headed by A.Navicka, is impossible, considering the state’s capabilities.
“Thank you to those who showed their citizenship and to those who stayed to work in the classrooms. Thank you to those who showed their citizenship and went to the marches and the square. I invite you to return to the classrooms, everything possible has been achieved,” the minister said while calling for an end to the strike.
He noted that the agreement not only foresees a 21% increase in teachers’ salaries next year, but it is planned to prepare a plan for the growth of teachers’ salaries until 2028 by May next year.
What is included in the agreement?
Last Thursday, the Minister of Education, Science and Sports G. Jakštas and four trade unions of education workers agreed to prepare a plan by May of next year, how the wages of teachers will be increased after 2024, and they also supported the Government’s proposal for a salary increase next year.
The government proposes to raise salaries for teachers next year in two stages: from January – 10%, and from September – so much so that the average teacher’s salary reaches 130%. average national wage.
During the negotiations, trade unions and the Ministry of Education also agreed to reduce classes in schools from next September. Municipalities could reduce the maximum class size from 30 to 26 students in basic education, from 24 to 22 students in primary education.
At that time, the Lithuanian education workers’ trade union, led by Andriaus Navickos, did not satisfy the proposals of the Ministry of Education and Culture. As a result, several thousand Lithuanian teachers started a strike last Friday, which is planned to last a month, and negotiations with the ministry are ongoing.
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