The Romanian Education Unions do not give up the demands submitted two weeks ago, which means, in fact, the continuation of the general strike. New demonstrations are announced for tomorrow in the Capital, with the course of trade union representatives from the country. Although there are no viable solutions and a solution to the labor conflict in the negotiations with the governors, Minister Ligia Deca explains what is the worst scenario if the teachers’ strike is not stopped.
The teachers in the second week of the general strike
On May 22, following a vote within the education trade union groups, the decision was made to go on a national general strike. At the same time, the leaders of the unions were entering into negotiations with the Government led by Nicolae Ciucă, and thus pressured by the government ring road, according to the framework agreement signed by the parties in the governing coalition. After several meetings between the unions and the Government, the solutions offered by the latter did not rise to the level of the union demands, so a deadlock was reached, which determined the continuation of the general strike.
See also: The general strike in Education has started today. Trade unionists’ message for parents
The last round of negotiations did not bring anything extra, in relation to the initial offer made by the government, according to which the teachers will receive the first 1000 lei, respectively 1500 lei, in the form of vouchers for the purchase of teaching material, and the education employees, the non-didactic students to receive 500 lei each. The leaders of the unions declared after the first offer, but also after the second one, the same one, that there is no question of such ridiculous and offensive aidsconsequently they will continue to remain on strike.
In Bucharest, over 15,000 teachers in the streets
In most of the big cities, the teachers took to the streets, demanding their rights that have been cut since 2008, from the time of the Boc government, rights that have not been returned even to this day, although by court decisions, the state was obliged to return the 50 % cut at that time. 4 days ago, although the general mayor Nicșor Dan said that he had no way of authorizing the request at short notice, approximately 15,000 teachers came out on the streets of Bucharest, in one of the largest teacher rallies in recent years.
See also: Teachers go on general strike. Which exams are at risk and what are the teachers’ requirements
Most of the demands were related to salary increases, in fact the rights demanded by the union leaders in the memo sent to the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Finance, and to the government. Earlier today, the unions announced that tomorrow, May 30, they will continue their rallies, stating that:
“I repeated the demands today: salary increase until the end of the year and the guarantee through a normative act that the debuting teacher will have a salary at least equal to the average gross salary. I proposed that ranking coefficient 1 be multiplied by 3,000 lei, not by 2,500 lei, as now. It remained for the Minister of Labor to present our proposal to the coalition and analyze it in order to quickly come up with an answer. We agreed to meet in the next period for the grid.Tuesday’s protest is now being held.
The salary increase requested for this year is 25%. Let the governors stop saying they are waiting for the World Bank’s opinion, they are already known there. From today, the university environment also started to move, we had teachers who went on strike. The longer the Government postpones the solution, the more the crisis worsens.
We don’t understand why there was a 3-day break in negotiations, they already knew our proposals on Friday. We respectfully point out that most teachers are on strike. The Minister of Labor told us that they are willing to discuss with us the new grid in the budget wage law. The entire grid that we have proposed starts from the starting salary equal to the average gross salary in the economy”, say the union leaders, according to Euronews.ro.
See also: Dozens of teachers from the high school where Carmen Iohannis teaches, on strike. The decision taken by the First Lady of Romania
Ligia Deca talks about the worst scenario if the teachers’ strike does not stop
The biggest problem these days, also posed by the parents of final year students, is what will happen to the school year and to the registrations for this year’s Baccalaureate sessions. The Minister of Education, Ligia Deca, came out today in a press conference, also talking about the worst scenario if the teachers’ strike does not stop, declaring that:
“There are solutions if this period is prolonged. We will also extend the school year. There is no option in which we don’t finish the school year, don’t end the averages, don’t take the national exams.
Everything will be carried out, even if this means the extension of the school year”, said the Minister of Education, Ligia Deca, according to observernews.ro.
“Registration for the Baccalaureate exam starts today”
In the same intervention, Ligia Deca assures that “We will not leave any student without an unfinished situation and without the opportunity to take the exams they need to move on”explaining that there are already educational units where the BAC registration processes have started, which normally take place between May 29 and June 7:
“Registration for the Baccalaureate exam starts today, but we are talking about a registration period: May 29 – June 7. There is the necessary time to make these registrations, but if necessary, we will extend it, but for now we have educational units where this registration can be made, where the human resource can be ensured in this sense.
For the other educational units, we hope that the protest will be completed as soon as possible and we will remain in the announced period that ends on June 7. Averages must be completed, according to the school calendar, by the end of this week. If the situation requires it, we can modify the structure of the school year for those who are in the twelfth grade or the thirteenth grade, in such a way as to give the necessary time to close the middle school and to register for the Baccalaureate exam.
The Ministry of Education will take all measures so that the school situation of all students is completed and participation in the national exams is ensured. We will not leave any student without an unfinished situation and without the opportunity to take the exams they need to move on”, the minister also said, according to the mentioned source.
See also: General strike in schools in Romania, starting from Monday. The negotiations between the education unions and the Government have failed
In the context in which the unions show no signs of ending the general strike, and as the end of the school year approaches, it seems that the most gloomy scenario in case the teachers’ strike does not stop is the imminent extension of the school year. It remains to follow the situation and see what will be, in the end, the decision of the current minister, Ligia Deca.
