Teacher unions call for talks with government

“The situation of employees in public education has not improved … so far some 2,500 have terminated their employment in public service … the lack of trained professionals is alarming,” the letter to Zoltan Maruzsa, the state secretary for public education, said.

PSZ and PDSZ said a joint representative survey showed that 98 percent of workers rejected the recent government overhaul of the employment status of teachers. “The wages guaranteed in the law … will not compensate for record inflation in Europe at all,” they said.

The letter demanded the withdrawal of the law on teachers’ employment status, an immediate 50 percent wage hike for all education employees, the withdrawal of measures curbing employees’ right to strike, and an independent education ministry.

The unions also demanded wage reform linking the base wage of teachers to the minimum wage of degree holders, as well as measures to ensure that all overtime was paid.

“Unless we reach agreement by January 2024, the trade union will see no other option but to organise further strikes,” the letter said.