The month-long teachers’ strike begins: they will march to the Government House

According to the head of the trade union organizing the strike, Andriaus Navickos, 185 educational institutions and about 3 thousand teachers will go on strike on Friday.

As the strike continues for a month, teachers will be able to join it later or decide not to participate anymore.

The union of education workers intends to compensate the teachers for the salary lost due to the strike.

Every day of the month of the strike, teachers’ rallies will be organized in front of the Government House, in Vincos Kudirka Square.

A. Navickas has no doubts that the pedagogues’ strike that started on Friday will increase the ranks of the organization he leads. According to A. Navickos, on Thursday alone, after the Ministry of Education reached an agreement with four trade unions, calls from teachers poured in about the possibility of joining the strike announced by LŠDPS. Therefore, emphasizes A. Navickas, one should not wonder why the Government failed to reach an agreement with the trade union led by him, but why, according to him, the other four gave in to government pressure so easily.

“Others probably don’t have structures in their organization, they don’t have alternatives in negotiations. Maybe that’s why they always sign so easily, even though the teachers are not satisfied with the proposals,” A. Navickas told “Žiniai Radio”, assuring that teachers who do not belong to his union are already asking about the possibility of joining the strike.

“We receive calls from those organizations that have signed the agreement. The teachers want to join our strike,” said the chairman of LŠDPS.

A similar situation existed in 2018, he continued. during the strike. Then, A. Navickas testified, the ranks of the trade union chaired by him grew by several thousand persons.

“In the last strike, other unions made the same mistakes. And our organization grew by three thousand members in one month. I think this situation will be very similar,” said A. Navickas.

Minister of Education, Science and Sports Gintautas Jakštas regrets that he was unable to reach an agreement with the teachers’ union, which went on strike on Friday. According to him, the ministry is currently looking for solutions to help schools ensure the education process if most of the teachers in the institution are currently on strike.

“We understand what a burden the strike creates for people, that’s why I deeply regret that we couldn’t reach an agreement with this trade union, because parents have a big burden,” G. Jakštas said to LRT radio on Friday morning.

The minister pointed out that in schools where the majority of teachers are on strike, not all students can be guaranteed the educational process.

“If teachers don’t strike, education is ensured. If there are striking teachers and it is not possible to ensure education, but there are also non-striking teachers, they can ensure the safety of students, then students will come to schools, but education will not necessarily take place for all”, said G. Jakštas.

“But in those extreme cases, when everyone or almost everyone is on strike, it will be practically impossible to ensure safety in the school,” he emphasized.

It is precisely because of extreme cases, when all school teachers are on strike, that the ministry is currently talking to both child rights experts and the Labor Inspectorate. According to G. Jakštos, together with these institutions and municipalities, solutions will be sought.

“This requires decisions at the municipal level so that students travel to another school, somewhere else it can be ensured (the educational process – ELTA). But, apparently, in most cases, the students will have to stay at home, and as a result, their right to education is also affected,” said the minister.

“We are having meetings with the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service and the Labor Inspectorate – we are looking at possible solutions, how schools could be helped, but there are no simple solutions here,” said G. Jakštas.

He noted that the Labor Code stipulates that striking teachers cannot be replaced by other pedagogues.

“There are legal aspects everywhere as to whether it can be done at all.” One is wishes, the other is legal possibilities. We are also talking to the labor inspectorate about this, because the striking teachers cannot be replaced by someone else, that is from the labor code. It will be necessary to watch very carefully so that even those good wishes do not turn into a violation of someone’s rights”, emphasized G. Jakštas.

After the start of the teachers’ strike, the Seimas Democratic faction “On behalf of Lithuania” registered a draft resolution “Regarding the wages of education workers, negotiations on ending the teachers’ strikes and ensuring the salaries of the strikers”.

With this document, the Democrats of the Seimas encourage the Government to take 3 steps regarding the salary of education workers and the implementation of their demands.

In the draft resolution, the Government is proposed to “immediately take constructive steps and make tangible decisions regarding the salary provided for in the agreement between the political parties (130 percent for educators, 150 percent for scientists and researchers).”

The authors of the document call for an urgent agreement on the implementation of what they say are the legitimate and reasonable demands of striking education workers and the development of a resource-based implementation plan. During the strike, the democrats of the Seimas also call for guaranteeing wages for the striking education workers.

“It is important to pay the striking education workers so that their families do not suffer,” the draft resolution said. It emphasizes that immediate and effective measures are necessary to regulate the situation.

According to the Seimas Democrats, the strike affects all participants of the education system, especially children.

“Due to the abundance of changes initiated by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and the lack of a systematic approach to their implementation, as well as due to the manipulation of the Political Parties’ agreement on education, the organized strike of education workers is hindering the education process, therefore all participants in the education system, especially children, are affected “, says the draft resolution prepared by the Seimas Democratic faction.

The document is submitted by Seimas members Vilija Targamadzė, Saulius Skvernelis, Domas Griškevičius, Kęstutis MažeikaLaima Mogenienė, Rima Baškienė, Zigmantas Balčytis, Algirdas Butkevičius, Vytautas Bakas, Linas Kukuraitis, Zenon StreikusLaima Nagienė, Algirdas Stončaitis and Tomas Tomilinas.

More than half of Lithuanian residents support the teachers’ plans to strike, almost a fifth have no opinion on the matter, according to a public opinion survey conducted by the company “Vilmorus” commissioned by the news agency BNS.

According to the survey, almost 60 percent support the teachers’ plans to strike. society. Schoolchildren and students (67.7%), Lithuanian residents aged 40-49 (67.4%) support teachers’ plans to strike the most, while those over 60 (23.9%) do not support it.

According to BNS, respondents under the age of 29 (24%) and over 70 (27.3%) did not have an opinion on this issue.

The public opinion and market research center “Vilmorus” conducted a representative public survey on September 14-23, communicating with respondents live and by phone. During it, 1003 residents of the country were interviewed in 25 cities and over 40 villages. The maximum error of the poll is 3.1 percent.

ELTA reminds that if there is no agreement on the faster increase of teachers’ salaries, Trade union of Lithuanian education workers (LŠDPS) announced at the end of August that it was going on strike. September 15 teachers belonging to the trade union participated in a warning strike.

The trade union of education workers led by A. Navickos demanded to raise teachers’ salaries by 20 percent this year. He also requested that salaries increase by another 30% from January next year. In this case, the total wage growth would reach 56 percent.

The proposal presented by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports in September to raise teachers’ wages by 21 percent next year, with a 10 percent salary increase from January, did not satisfy the education workers’ union. According to A. Navicki, teachers’ salaries should be raised significantly more.

In addition to salary increases, LŠDPS has also expressed the need to reduce the number of students in classes and the workload of teachers.

Other trade unions of teachers have found a consensus with the ministry regarding the demands made to improve the working conditions of teachers.

According to the National Education Agency (NŠA), 1.9 thousand teachers are currently participating in the strike. employees and 100 educational institutions.

Out of almost 2 thousand strikers – 1.7 thousand. there are pedagogical workers, including 1,675 teachers.

According to NŠA, the majority of teachers are on strike in Klaipėda, Vilnius, Kaišiadorių district, Panevėžys and Alytus.

On Friday, the real teachers’ strike, which will last for a month, began. According to Andriaus Navickos, head of the trade union of education workers, 186 educational institutions and about 3 thousand teachers will go on strike.

On Friday, the striking teachers and their supporting students also started a march from their educational institutions to the Government House.

Since Friday, Vincos Kudirka Square has been organizing various discussions, as well as classes to support teachers for visiting students.

According to the permit issued by the Vilnius City Municipality, rallies near the Government House can be held every day from September 29. until October 28, they can be attended by up to 2,000 people.

ELTA reminds that the trade union of education workers led by A. Navickos demanded to raise teachers’ salaries by 20 percent this year. They are also asking for an additional 30% salary increase from January next year. In this case, the total salary growth would reach 56 percent.

The proposal presented by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports in September to raise teachers’ wages by 21 percent next year, with a 10 percent salary increase from January, did not satisfy the education workers’ union. According to A. Navicki, teachers’ salaries should be raised significantly more.

In addition to salary increases, LŠDPS has also expressed the need to reduce the number of students in classes and the workload of teachers.