2023-11-03 10:20:31
Illustrative photo, Canva
The Estonian Education Workers’ Union announced on Friday that because the government is dragging its feet on salary negotiations and, unlike teachers, has not proposed any concrete plan to implement the agreement, there will be a warning strike by teachers across Estonia on November 10.
According to the chairman of the Estonian Education Workers’ Union (EHL) and strike leader Reemo Voltri, the salary negotiations have so far been rather one-sided, as there have been no signs of meaningful government involvement, the EHL press service told BNS.
“As evidence that teachers’ salaries are allegedly not low, examples are given when, in conditions of a shortage of teachers, existing teachers are forced to work even with double workload. This way of asking the question is deliberately misleading and deeply unethical. It’s like saying that if you don’t have enough money to feed your family, you can work not only during the day, but also at night,” Voltri said.
A representative of the Union of Education Workers recalled that teachers offered the government various options for fulfilling the promises given to the people in the elections and agreed upon in the coalition agreement. “We understand perfectly well the state of the country’s budget, but this is a matter of priorities. We want a long-term plan from the government, and we have made proposals to reach an agreement on teachers’ salaries for 2024-2027,” Voltri emphasized.
“I will not repeat that in recent months many representatives of business, science and public figures have publicly told the government about the crisis of wages in education. Its essence boils down to the following: if the current burnout of teachers, their dismissal and the lack of a new generation continue, both the standard of living and the security of the Estonian people will suffer greatly, and a unified Estonian-language education will collapse,” added the chairman of EHL.
To draw attention to the seriousness of the problem, in a week, on November 10, there will be an hour-long warning strike of school teachers and kindergarten teachers throughout Estonia. The strike will take place from 9 to 10 am in schools and from 8 to 9 am in kindergartens. In the interests of the welfare and safety of students, all educational institutions are advised to begin work later on this day, after the end of the warning strike.
“In addition to trade union members, all teachers of primary, vocational and secondary schools, as well as kindergartens throughout Estonia can join the strike under the protection of the law. This is the moment when from Hiiumaa to Põlvamaa we will stand shoulder to shoulder. We are not striking against anyone, but for everyone who cares about the sustainability of education in Estonia,” explained Voltri.
According to him, the teachers’ warning strike will certainly inconvenience several hundred thousand people and force them to change their daily routine.
“In a way, this is a vision of the future, because if the government allows the teacher pay crisis to continue, problems in the education system due to teacher shortages will soon become an everyday occurrence,” Voltri said.
The Estonian Education Workers’ Union (EHL) is the largest representative organization and trade union of teachers and other education workers in Estonia. EHL participates in negotiations on contracts between educational institutions and local authorities, as well as in resolving issues of wages, working conditions and other problems. EHL represents the interests of teachers in negotiations with the government on salary issues.
BNS
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