General strike in education continues
The general strike in education continues, with the trade unions rejecting the Government's offer, as the unionist leaders announced on Wednesday evening, after their meeting with the representatives of the Executive.
The General Secretary of the Government, Marian Neacsu, on Wednesday evening stated, after negotiations with the leaders of the education unions, that teachers and the auxiliary staff in education could receive a card for their professional career, the amounts proposed to be granted being RON 1,000 in June and RON 1,500 in October.
"Compared to the previous discussions (...) with the representatives of the trade union confederations in education, the Government's additional offer (...) will be that of granting an amount in June and an amount in October, which will consist of a professional career card, to be granted (...) to the teaching staff and the auxiliary personnel. The proposed amount is RON 1,000 for the month of June and RON 1,500 for the month of October," said Neacsu.
The Secretary General of the Government specified that at this moment there can be no question of salary increases nor of granting increments.
"It is very clear at this point (...) there cannot be any kind of salary increases. The colleagues in education are, at this moment, at the maximum of the grid, and this Government is the one that made this possible. Also, it cannot be a question of granting increases at this moment and it was very constructively discussed that, in the government programme, (...) the number one priority will be education. (...) We agreed that tomorrow morning we will receive an answer to what extent the Government's offer was accepted," said Neacsu.
The Minister of Education, Ligia Deca, showed that the ministry supports the teachers, but also the need to ensure the right to education.
"The Ministry of Education will always be with the teaching staff. Our concern is, on the one hand, to support the teaching staff, because they need a salary scale suitable to their role in the society, but at the same time we need to ensure the right to education. We believe that all students must be able to return to the classrooms as soon as possible, stated Deca, at the end of the discussions.