Next year, teachers will see their salaries increase 5 percent, about €42 per month on average. Two days of negotiations between school unions and government representatives ended October 9 with an agreement.
Although the unionists asked for an 8 percent hike, they call the deal a success and say they would not go on strike.
“I can say we agreed,” Finance Minister Peter Kažimír said after the negotiations ended. “Next year, €80 million more will go to pay both teaching and non-teaching staff in the education sector,” he said as quoted by the TASR newswire.
The agreement implies that salaries of college and university teachers should rise 5 percent, teachers at secondary and elementary schools by 5 percent plus 1 percent of out-of-wage-schedule bonuses, depending on the optimisation of the school network. In practice, this means better payments for overtime lessons or special tutorship. Non-teaching staff – janitors or cooks – should get €16 more per month, according to a deal negotiated with government by the Confederation of Trade Union (KOZ) on October 8 for all state and public administration employees.
“After two days of negotiations, we deem this a certain success, as we know what situation the economy is in,” head of the Union of Education Employees Pavel Ondek sid. “The total amount is higher against the last year – this year’s €80 million against last year’s €68 million extra money.”
The average salary of a teacher at elementary or secondary schools should amount to €962, according to the Finance Ministry, with the average salary in national economy expected to reach €845.
(Source: TASR)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
