Spring break could be extended by more than two weeks for pupils and students, as the United Education Union has announced a general strike in the education sector during the month of April. The head of this union, Rrahman Jasharaj, has said that the strike is inevitable, since, as he says, they have not yet received positive signals from the central institutions regarding their demands regarding the increase of the coefficient in the new Law on wages. Education experts criticize warnings of union action
Pristina, March 13 - Pupils and students risk not keeping the curriculum planned for the month of April, as the United Union of Education, Science and Culture has announced a general strike in the education sector.
As in 2019, the Salary Law is expected to be the cause of taking union action by SBASHK.
The wage law, which was promised by the Minister of Defense, Xelal Sveçla, will be processed for approval by the Government in March, this union says that they will not accept it, as they have not received positive signals for the increase in the wage rate. wages.
The president of SBASHK, Rrahman Jasharaj, has said that the Government has a dismissive approach towards education workers, therefore, according to him, the return of the three-week strike is inevitable.
"On April 2, the Congress will make meritorious decisions, which I, as the president, or anyone who comes to my place together with the central staff, is obliged to implement, and from the beginning of April, after the spring break that is then, we will have a general strike in the entire education sector", he said.
Also, the Union has requested since April, the Government to support the education workers with an additional 100 euros, due to price increases in the local market.
"This request for 100 euros is minimal, because we have terrible price increases and we thought that the education sector, especially workers who have salaries below the average of 420 euros, would be honored a little in this staggering price increase. If this does not happen, the Government Let Kurti know that after April 2, unfortunately, we will have a strike in the entire education sector", said Jasharaj.
The chief education unionist says that he is sorry that the students will suffer with this action, but he justifies it, saying that the responsibility for this belongs to the central institutions that are not paying attention to their demands.
Warnings of union action are being criticized by education experts.
The director of the Institute for Education Studies "EdGuard", Rinor Qehaja, has said that the central institutions should include the trade unions to reach an agreement desired by both parties on the salary coefficient in the education sector.
"At no time can we oppose the request of SBASHK for salary increase, it is their constitutional right, but we strongly oppose the union reactions which affect and undermine the teaching process", he said. "The government must understand that the unions are their social partners and an open communication with them is necessary, so an involvement of the unions in determining the minimum wage and determining the coefficients is necessary, since they also present the voice of workers".
The year 2019, in education, had started with a strike. Teachers of all levels used the strike as a means to pressure the Government of Kosovo to change the Law on salaries, increasing the coefficient.
The salary increase for teachers was made possible by the Salary Law. But, a few days before this law came into force, the Constitutional Court suspended it, and then declared it invalid.
