SBASK protest, Nagavci: collective contracts cannot be discussed in time of campaign

The Education Union has protested, asking the Ministry of Education to sign the collective contract, raise the teachers' salaries, and start social dialogue. Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Arberie Nagavci said collective contracts cannot be negotiated in time of election campaigns and that wage increases have already occurred.

Minister Nagavci said the social dialogue between August and SBASK has never been missed. She added that they are ready as minister for a positive dialogue for constructive co-operation, but stressed that dialogue does not imply emponsion of requirements, or respect of single-sided demands.

The “at this point is important to mention that one of the ongoing demands, including the demand for which the strike took place two years ago, has been wage hikes. And if we look at the current wage situation in the education sector, there has been an apparent increase since we received the mandate to date. So one of the requirements, which has to do with salary growth, is almost complete”, she said in RTK.

“And the other demand involving the collective contract, is one thing that we have made clear to the SBASK leadership, the collective contributions traditionally linked at least in recent years, have been linked in time to election campaigns, and have been done without respect for legislation in power, without any financial analysis being done, and without being granted approval by the Ministry of Finance, which has resulted in budget write-down of”, Minister Navci added.

Speaking of results in education, Nagavci said they are aware that much more work is needed to improve the results.

Regarding yesterday's meeting with the SBAS, which was called a failed meeting, Minister Nagavci said they have also announced this union, that at this time of the electoral pre-future, no discussion on the collective contract can be held.