BRATISLAVA, October 12, (WEBNOVINY) — Trade unions in the education sector will put off the planned strike as they would like to talk to the new government, as well. “As soon as it is known how the new government will look like, we will continue. We do not expect the negotiations with the Cabinet in a week so our colleagues will have to wait for a while,” head of the Trade Union of Workers in Education and Science of Slovakia, Jozef Luzak, told SITA news agency. At their session in Kezmarske Zlaby in the High Tatras on October 6, trade unionists did not call strike in spite of written support of 60 percent of elementary and secondary school teachers. During talks with Education Minister (SDKU-DS) Eugen Jurzyca, they agreed to postpone the decision to the period after they meet Prime Minister Iveta Radicova.
The collapse of the government has complicated the position of teachers regarding the planned increase in their salaries that was to be debated by legislators at the past parliamentary session. A revision of law on pedagogic staffers was to add nearly 2 percent to their wages, though at the cost of other benefits. Jurzyca frequently used the norm as an argument to fend off requests of trade unions, insisting that the ministry did not have sources for a higher raise. “We will wait to see the attitude towards this bill but each deputy has received our requirements in writing and even the opposition parties showed willingness to pass the revision at the meetings with lawmakers,” Luzak remarked. Trade unions have not eased their requirements after Tuesday and remain on strike alert. “Our trade unions will not back down from the set requirements because the situation in the education sector has been critical for long and must be resolved regardless of which government is in office,” he concluded.
SITA