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 Education International |
 Confederation of Autonomous Unions of Serbia |
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COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS FOR EDUCATION SIGNED FINALLY!
After long and hard negotiations process, Collective Agreements for employees in Education finally signed on January 30, 2009. Representatives of three teacher unions (Teachers Union of Serbia, NTTU “Nezavisnost” and Union of employees in education of Serbia) signed Collective Agreement for Elementary, Secondary and Vocational Education and pupil’s halls of residence with Minister of Education Zarko Obradovic. The second Collective Agreement for Higher Education signed Teachers Union of Serbia (as the only representative union for Higher Education) with Minister of Education Zarko Obradovic. Additional to this very important development, three teacher unions also signed the Protocol on work price for 2009. The work price for all employees in education will be increased twice, according to projected inflation: 1. from the wage for April 2009. 2% 2. from the wage for October 2009. 6% If the developments in the future would require the changes of the national Budget, teacher unions will conclude the new Protocol with Government 15 days after changes. 5 top
Belgrade, 10. April 2008.
AGRIMENT WITH MINISTRIES FOR ADDITIONAL IMPROVEMENT OF MATERIAL STATUS OF EMPLOYEES IN EDUCATION
Teachers Union of Serbia forwarded the initiative to Ministry of Education and Finance to make the corrections of the Protocol for salaries of employees in education in 2008, signed on December 11, 2007. Union representatives have requested the corrections on the occasion of the new circumstances of life expenses – the inflation arises as the main development with consequences to the prices of elementary food: the prices of flour, bread, cooking oil and sugar increased a lot, as well as the prices of electric energy, petrol and other consumer articles. In the negotiations with Ministers of Education and Finance held on April 8, it is agreed to pay amount of 35 Euros to each employee in education before the end of April, as Easter award. The increase of the elementary work price for 5% will be paid with salary for March, i.e. one month earlier than it was predicted by Protocol. Other items in Protocol stayed as it was signed – the correction of the non-teaching staff coefficients for 4% in April and additional increasing of 5% for all employees in education in September 2008. It is also agreed to prepare the changes of Collective Agreements in Education, as the existing ones are in effect until October this year. Teachers Union of Serbia, as the leader in the process of negotiations with authorized Ministries, already prepared the proposals for changes and forwarded them to the Ministries. 5 top
Belgrade, 7. March 2008. TEACHERS UNION OF SERBIA
THE STATEMENT ON THE OCCASION OF UNILATERAL DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE BY KOSOVO
Teachers Union of Serbia expressed deeply disagreement with unilateral declaration independence by Kosovo. This act is promotion of “international community” decision, i.e. USA and EU for final solution of “Kosovo question”, without agreement of UN and contrary to Resolution of Security Council 1244, as the bases of Kosovo problem solving. This is also the promotion of solution that Serbia is deeply against. This solution is also against all international standards and legal regulations of international affairs. Recognizing of this illegal creation from almost a half of EU countries is also reflection of pressures and requirements from USA and EU. However, it is not enough to be recognized as independent state and to become the member of UN. We are encouraged by statements of numerous countries which are refusing to recognize independent Kosovo. Teachers Union of Serbia will insist in international trade union movement and Education International to follow the Statute of EI, when is regulated that member of EI could be organization representative from the country that is the member of UN. Teacher Union organization from Kosovo SBASHK was the member of EI from Serbia. Teachers Union of Serbia expresses the strong support to all employees in education of Kosovo and Metohija – to the students and their parents to persist in their stay in Kosovo and Metohija, as their homeland. Through education system they will contribute the most to keep Serbian population on the Kosovo and to preserve their identity. This is additional obligation of all employees and trade union members in education. It is necessary to give answers to the questions of values that Serbia is supporting –to stress that this intruded solution is unsustainable and should be resolved peacefully with mutual agreement. Several decades of parallel educational system of Albanian students in Kosovo and Metohija, without recognizing Serbian authorities in this the most important area for creating future generations, has recently resulted with unilateral declaration of Kosovo’s independence. All these events have happened with huge support of international community, which has made enable education on the values of other educational system from Albania, with main idea - the struggle against Serbia and creating an additional Albanian State, and all this under veil of struggle for human rights and right to education on native language (in spite all these requests are for decades established and implemented in Serbian educational system). Long-term work of this educational system has showed its power – the generations have been formed with the independence as the most important national goal. The answers on how it has been tolerated and positive evaluated will give the history. Now, it is the most important that Serbian people and other non – Albanian people stayed in Kosovo and to enable them elementary security of life and work. Teachers Union of Serbia will support all its members and employees in educational institutions in Kosovo and Metohija and all measures of governmental organs for support to Serbs on Kosovo and Metohija. In international activities we will support the principles to recognize all regulations in international laws, without precedents. These hard times of temptations for all Serbian population, employees in education and member of trade unions are looking for the consistent decisions. We request the support of trade union solidarity from our brothers’ teachers’ union organizations. However, this support is not omitted neither on this occasion - in the messages we already received, the main ideas are the support for justice, recognizing international regulations and against imposing of solutions by force to satisfy interests of powerful countries.
Teachers Union of Serbia 5 top 2 Εrmou & Κornarou Str. ΤEΛ: 210 32 30 073 – 32 21 255 FAX: 210 32 27 382 e-mail: olme@otenet.gr Athens, 7/3/08
STATEMENT STRUGGLE AGAINST THE IMPERIALISTIC PLANS IN KOSOVO
The E.B. of OLME points out that the recent unilateral declaration of independence - secession from Serbia as well as the mobility that is lately being noticed in relation with the name of FYROM are facts instructed and encouraged by the imperialists and constitute a serious threat for the stability and peace among the populations of the wider region. All these developments come as a continuity and as consequences of the imperialistic war of USA, EU and NATO in Yugoslavia in 1999. They are due to choices planned and realized under the policy of «divide et impera», they serve the political, financial and geo-strategic interests of those forces, they provoke acute competition among them, they bode new changes of borders by cutting into pieces the Balkan states’ territorial integrity and, inevitably, open a new vicious circle of war conflicts and new imperialistic interventions. The recent decision of EU, with the consent of our government, to dispatch new military forces in Kosovo, an action that will virtually support its “decision” to secede from Serbia, is also within the same frame. The question of FYROM’s name, which is brought up by the special mediator of UN M. Nimits in a direction that cannot be accepted by the populations, is also interwoven with all the above mentioned issues. What comes first for the imperialists of USA and EU is the utilisation of this country as their protectorate, in order that, along with Kosovo, they will ensure more effectively their selfish interests in the Balkans. All these push forward the enormous responsibilities of the political forces that acted jointly in the dissolution of Yugoslavia and during the imperialistic war against it. Also, the political responsibilities of our country’s governments are heavy, of course, because they sent and still retain Greek troops in the region of Kosovo.
The educational world of our country, denouncing those who are responsible and co-responsible for these dangerous developments in the region of Balkans, states that will participate in initiatives and action, so that the imperialistic plans are prevented and reversed. In this direction We demand
· that the new protectorate of Kosovo should not be recognised by the government, · that the Greek military forces that reside there or anywhere else as forces of intervention should return home For the E.B. of OLME President G.Secretary Grigoris Kalomiris Kostas Boikos
5 top Belgrade, 12. December 2007.
THE STRIKE OF EMPLOYEES IN EDUCATION IN SERBIA FINISHED SUCCESSFULLY
The strike of employees in education in Serbia lasted from November 19 until December 11 (17 days), finished successfully by signing the Protocol of wages in 2008. The demands of three representative teacher unions about increasing coefficients of non – teaching staff and salaries of all employees are fulfilled almost completely: - Salaries of employees in all education level financed from the Republic Budget (Primary and Secondary Schools, Students’ Dormitories and Higher Education) will be increased in three installments: in April 5%, in September 5% and in October up to 5%. This last installment will be regulated with Annex of the Protocol in October 2008. - The coefficients of non – teaching staff will be increased 4% from April 2008 - Non – teaching staff will receive the amount of 100 Euros until end of December this year - All employees in education will receive amount of 62 Euro as Christmas award until end of January 2008. Teachers Union of Serbia has organized the strike of employees in education to force the Government representatives for negotiations about salaries of employees in education for next year before passing the National Budget, as it is predicted in Collective Agreement. More then 93% of Primary and Secondary Schools participated in the strike. The negotiations team has succeeded that the most of demands were accepted. The Protocol of salaries for 2008 was signed by Minister of Education and Minister of Finance as Governmental representatives and presidents of teachers’ unions. To the success of the strike contributed common activity of three representative teachers unions, as well as very important support Teachers Union of Serbia received from Education International at the very beginning of the strike, Resolution of Pan European Committee and many teachers’ union from whole Europe. 5 top Belgrade, 2 November 2007.
Education International Fred van Leeuwen General Secretary
Dear Mr. van Leeuwen,
Teachers Union of Serbia, the biggest teachers’ union in Serbia for all level of education, with more then 40.000 members, member of Education International, appeals to Education International with request for support in the struggle for realization of the rights of employees in education in Serbia. Teachers Union of Serbia, in cooperation with other two representative teachers unions, is preparing the strike of employees in all level of education on 19 November, if representatives of field Ministries in the Government of Republic of Serbia do not accept justifiable requests of educational workers. As it is regulated in the current Collective Agreement for employees in education, the Government has the obligation to come to an agreement of bases elements for salaries and the correction of coefficients for the next year up to 15 November of the current year, before the adoption of the National Budget (Article 19 of Collective Agreement). The Minister of Education and Minister of Finance refuse the dialogue and negotiations with teachers union representatives, what is their obligations according to Collective Agreement and signed ILO Conventions. Minister of Finance announced to freeze the salaries in the public sector, with explanation that they are the main source of the inflation. After protests of employees in the public sector, he had moderated his position and he offered increasing of salaries in education for 5%, from September 2008. This offer means decreasing of real amount of wages for 10%. Teachers unions last year fought for signing the Protocol of increasing of salaries and harmonization of coefficients. This Protocol was implemented this year and it meant for employees in education increasing of salaries up to a decent level – the average salary in education in September this year was 381 Euros and it is for 4.2% higher then average salary in the country. One of the most important successes in the work of Teachers Union of Serbia, as the only one representative teachers union for Higher Education Sector, is that after three years of permanent negotiations, the base price for salaries of employees in Higher Education are equalized with base price for salaries of employees in Elementary and Secondary Schools. Employees in Higher Education received a very important increasing of salaries for 20% in September and finally they attained an appropriate material status. The work of current Government will annul all achieved results: with inflation reaching to 10% for this year, projected inflation for the next year and a modest offer from Minister of Finance for pay increase of 5% in last quarter of the next year – employees in education will be again underestimated in salaries, and the status, too.
Teachers Union of Serbia has prepared, in coordinated proposal with other two unions (representing about 60% of all employees in education), reasonable proposal asking: - The increasing of coefficients for non-teaching staff - The increasing of base work price for 20% in 2008, comparing with amount for November 2007, to be realized in three installments (March 5%, June – 7% and September 7%). Besides disrespect of Collective Agreement, field Ministers in the Government refuse every kind of social dialogue of issues not only about material status of employees in education, but educational issues in the social context – about reforms in education, finance of public education, European perspectives in education and obligations etc. Teachers Union of Serbia representatives are actively involved in international meetings, but without access to meetings organized by our Ministry of Education. For example, 1 and 2 November there was the Conference of National Qualification Framework in Higher Education, with participation of students’ representatives, but not teacher union representatives, as the only one organization representing academic staff.
We kindly ask you to send the letter of support for the justifiable protests of Teachers Union of Serbia and to help our struggle for preserving the dignity of employees in education in Serbia.
With gratitude for help, please to forward the letter of support to Prime Minister, Minister of Education and Minister of Finance:
Dr Vojislav Kostunica Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Belgrade, Nemanjina Street 11 Fax: +381 11 36 17 609
Dr Zoran Loncar Minister of Education Republic of Serbia Belgrade, Nemanjina Street 22 – 26 Fax: +381 11 36 16 491
Dr Mirko Cvetkovic Minister of Finance Republic of Serbia Belgrade, Kneza Milosa Street 20 Fax: +381 11 36 18 961
Sincerely yours,
President of Teachers Union of Serbia
Branislav Pavlovic
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The mesage of support and solidarity
No: 85 Date: October 11, 2007.
Syndicat des Enseignants Bulgares (SEB) Ms Janka Takeva, President
Syndicat des Enseignants Podkrepa (PODKREPA) Mr. Kroum Kroumov, President
THE MESSAGE OF SUPPORT AND SOLIDARITY
Teachers Union of Serbia strongly and completely supports struggle of our colleagues from Bulgaria for better teachers’ and all education workers salaries.
The average monthly salary of teacher in Bulgaria is not decent wage for decent life. Teachers are too important profession in each society to be left out of possibility for good working conditions, including significant increasing of salaries.
Your struggle to be recognized as respected partner in the negotiations with authorities, including strike and even hunger strike, is the right trade union answer to challenges teachers are faced.
Best regards and teachers union solidarity! Teachers Union of Serbia President Branislav Pavlovic 5 top
Finally new Government and new Minister of Education – the old tasks for new Government
On the May 15, literally five minutes to dead line after elections in January, Serbia obtained the new Government, with Mr.Vojislav Kostunica as Prime Minister again. The new Minister of Education is Professor Zoran Loncar, PhD. He is known to the public as Minister for Local Autonomy in the previous Government. He was born 1956 in Novi Sad, graduated Faculty of Law in Novi Sad. He is doctor of Law Sciences and the theme of his doctoral thesis was “The ministerial Responsibility”. He works at Faculty of Law in Novi Sad, as teaching professor at the Department for Administrative Law. He is a high positioned member of Democratic Party of Serbia.
Teachers Union of Serbia welcomed to all Ministers important for cooperation with teacher unions in education – Minister of Education, Minister of Finance and Minister of Work and Social Affairs. - Members of teacher unions are not so quite as employees in administration are, stressed Branislav Pavlovic, President of Teachers Union of Serbia, at the press conference on this occasion. - We want to continue cooperation with Minister of Education and Finance to implement signed Protocol on coefficients, but also to correct some unsolved questions, especially concerning coefficients for non-teaching staff, said Pavlovic. As priorities of new Government, Pavlovic underlined passing of four Laws waiting in the National Assembly procedure: 1) The changes and amendments of Law of Basics of System of Education and Upbringing 2) The Law of Preschool Education 3) The Law of Students’ Standard 4) The law of Textbooks These Laws are among priorities of Teachers Union of Serbia for this year. The other priorities are: finance of Preschool Education on the Republic level and signing Collective Agreement for Preschool Education; and increasing of coefficients for non-teaching staff.
5 top Delegation from Spain visited Serbia
Delegation from Teacher Union FECCOO from Spain visited Serbia May 30 – June 2, 2007. The General Secretary Jose Campos Truhillo and International Secretary Rosario Rizo were in delegation. Mr. Truhillo said it is a good period for teachers in Spain – in quality of education, equal opportunities and working conditions. The salaries of teachers in Spain are very good - at fifth range in Europe and first for younger teachers (up to 15 years of working experience). The efforts of teacher union are now to improve position of older teachers. Activities are also about improving educational process and motivation of students. Teacher Union FECCOO has a lot of experience in cooperation with unions in Latin America, dealing with integration of immigrants from Latin America, Eastern European Countries and Arabian countries. The initiative of Branislav Pavlovic about further cooperation of teacher unions in Mediterranean countries guests accepted immediately, spreading the idea to the countries from the other side of Mediterranean (Morocco, Alger, Egypt). Their experience in cooperation inspired them to consider about candidacy for connection of teacher unions in this region on the EI Congress in Berlin. The first step in further cooperation they undertook by inviting the president of TUS to participate Summer Teachers Union School in Spain at the end of June. 5 top Greek Delegation visited Serbia
Delegation of Trade Union in Secondary Education (OLME) from Greece visited Teachers Union of Serbia from May 20 -23, 2007. The President of OLME Dimitris Geogras, Organizational Secretary Andreas Kaldis, International Secretary Themis Kotsifakis and President of the Center for Documentation and Research, Pavlos Haramis were in the delegation. This visit is the part of already established bilateral contacts between two unions. The colleagues from Greece presented the main activities of Teachers unions in Greece. Most of them are against the proposals for introducing private Universities and for improvement teachers’ salaries and working conditions. Their experience in organizing of protests, demonstrations and strikes as the part of trade union struggle is very impressive one. Organizational structure of teacher unions and the way they functioning could be a good example for changing in trade union structures of other unions. The initiative of Teachers Union of Serbia presented by President Branislav Pavlovic, to create better cooperation between unions in Mediterranean countries, OLME delegation accepted with pleasure. The cooperation with OLME will also continue in exchanging experiences in research and data collections, as well as in representation of trade union attitudes in European institutions and structures, as they are not recognized in right way because of great unions from Western and North Europe domination. Greece Delegation visited the Province of Voivodina, secondary school and student dormitory in Novi Sad and secondary school in Belgrade. 5 top Seminar for employees in Pre-school Education
The seminar for employees in Pre-School Education in Serbia held May 11 -13, 2007 in the spa Vrnjacka Banja. Participants were the presidents of trade union organizations in pre-school institutions. This seminar was an opportunity to exchange experiences in the reforms of pre – school education in the countries of ex – Yugoslavia area, as the event have participated representatives of unions from several countries: · Slovenia (Nevenka Tucic, President of SVIZ and Marijana Kolar, president of the Conference for pre-school education SVIZ), · Croatia (Bozena Strugar, president of Trade Union of Employees in pre-school Education in Croatia), · Republic of Srpska (Stevan Milic, president of Teachers Union, Jela Dakic, president of Conference for Preschool Education and Staka Novovic from Pedagogical Institute in Banja Luka) and · FYR Macedonia (Dojcin Cvetanoski, President of SONK, Nevenko Kaleov, Secretary and Vesna Nedelkovska, President of Conference for preschool education SONK). The main theme of seminar was “Pre-school Education in the system of education and the status of employees in Serbia and surrounding countries (legal regulation, programs, funding, education and training of employees, problems and solutions). The presentations made President of Committee for Pre-school education Teachers Union of Serbia Mrs. Djurdjica Vrbaski and all participants from abroad. Next issue was “Working conditions of employees and materials status – the function of Cooperation with Local Communities”, then “Collective bargaining and trade union task: examples of good practice in surrounding countries and Serbia (the factors of successful bargaining and obstacles)”. The proposal of TUS for changes and amendments of the Decree for salaries coefficients of employees in the public sector, for preschool education is made by Committee for Preschool education TUS. At the end of seminar Recommendations for teachers union activities at local and national level and Recommendations for cooperation of teacher unions in the region in Pre - school education are accepted. The priorities of Teachers Union of Serbia in Pre-school Education are request to finance preschool education at the national level, to pass the Law of Preschool education and to equalize material status of employees with employees in primary schools, as emphasized President of TUS, Branislav Pavlovic. In Croatia the position of employees in ECE is now equalized with elementary and secondary schools with possibility to attain even higher wages in negotiation with local communities. The position of employees in ECE is the best regulated in Slovenia. Their status is regulated in united Law of Education and separate Law of kindergartens. The coefficients for ECE, elementary and secondary schools are the same. They have only one Collective Agreement for all levels of education, when the minimum is regulated with possibility that local community gives more finance than is obligated by Agreement. The situation in Republic of Srpska is quite better after they signed Collective Agreement, but it is applying only in 6-7 local communities. They started with activities to pass the Law of ECE. Colleagues from Macedonia expressed their concerns of Government decision to finance preschool education on the local communities level from July this year. They also consider it as a bad solution, especially in poor local communities. The enrollment of children in all forms of preschool education is different – in Republic of Srpska only 12%, in Serbia 31%, in Croatia 55% and Slovenia 80%. The improvement in Serbia this year is compulsory preschool education for children 6 year old, as preparation for primary schools. The guests from abroad and other participants of seminar found very useful and interesting presentations of work and activities of preschool institutions from Vranje, Nis, Novi Sad and Subotica. 5 top Press releases February 21 and 28, 2007.
Teachers Union of Serbia demanded: Minister of Education to resign because of corruption affair in Faculty of Law in Kragujevac
On the occasion of corruption affair in the Faculty of Law in Kragujevac at the end of February, Teachers Union of Serbia has informed public twice and has organized press conference. The main attitudes in press releases were as follows: Teachers Union of Serbia expressed the deepest anger and shock by events that happened in Faculty of Law in Kragujevac - arresting the group of professors and their assistants in the affair of buying exams and diplomas. TUS severely condemn criminal activities of group of professors, asking to be trialed immediately, to release from the doubts most of professors, who are honest people and who are keeping the dignity of profession. Teachers Union of Serbia, as the only one representative union in Higher Education, has achieved a lot of results improving material position of employees in Higher Education last three years. According to the Protocol, signed October 23, 2006, this year should be equalized coefficients and price of work for all employees working in education who are financed from the Budget of Republic of Serbia. It means very important increasing of salaries for employees in Higher Education. Until the end of this year, salary of full professor in Faculty should be about 800 Euros. The salaries of employees in Faculties of Law in the whole country are among the highest in Universities. For example, the salary of full professor is now up to 2500 Euros, what is not so bad - even for more welfare countries then Serbia. Besides basic salaries, most of professors have additional incomes from their work in projects, commissions, Ph –thesis and lessons in other faculties. That means that professors from Faculty of Law in Kragujevac had no reason to go to criminal activities. It is quite sure that Faculty of Law is not only one where the bribe and corruption exist. It is quite sure that more then 90% of university professors are very honorable persons and experts in their fields. Because of all of them, as well as of students working hard, who are not even thinking to buy exams, we expect that all denunciation should be very seriously examined. The corruption is phenomenon which destroys basics of the education system. It appears even in elementary schools with innocent presents and services to the teachers to be developed up to the university degree as the whole system of selling marks and exams. The part of that system is to make exams too hard, when support of assistant or other professor is necessary, with financial compensation, of course. The biggest losers in this affair are students, especially diligent ones, with great negative consequences for their future – problems to get a job, to go abroad etc. Those among them, who bought exams and diplomas, should be stigmatized and excluded from the academic community. This affair in Kragujevac is very hard attack not only to Kragujevac University, but also for Ministry for Education and Sport of Republic of Serbia, too. Additional reason is that Ministry Assistant for Higher Education, Serbian representative in Bologna Follow Up Group, is among those professors accused for corruption. All these things are reason that Teachers Union of Serbia asked for irrevocable resignation of Minister of Education. It would be an act of moral responsibility, as it is the case in most of democratic countries! 5 top
What are priorities of Teachers Union of Serbia in the near future?
Priorities of Teachers Union of Serbia were established on the last Republic Board Committee and Executive Board. Since the Protocol of work price increasing was signed in October 2006, we hope that the new Government will respect this Protocol. As the first priority for this year, TUS set the increasing of salaries for non-teaching staff in elementary and secondary schools, higher schools and faculties. We consider they are neglected in last increasing of coefficients and this injustice should be corrected as soon as possible. As the second priority for this year TUS established activity to enter finance of preschool education on the Republic level of financing. It is necessary to pass a new law for preschool education. The main reason for TUS attitude is the great inequality in salaries of employees working the same jobs in the cities and local communities of Serbia. Financing of pre-school education on the country level is common in the countries wealthier then Serbia is, so we do not see any reason not to be the same in Serbia, too. If it will be the case, it would be necessary to sign Collective Agreement for this education sector. TUS Committee for Pre-School Education has already prepared the text of Collective Agreement and it could be signed with future Government very soon. The third priority of TUS is active participation in passing the laws concerning education, already forwarded into the Assembly procedure. It means the Law of changes and amendments of Basics system of education and upbringing Law, the Law of Pre-school Education and the Law for dormitories. Considering salaries of employees in education, financed by Republic Budget, until end of this year we can expect as follows: - the average salary of all employees in elementary and secondary schools will be about 360 Euros - the salary of professor, homeroom teacher with 20 years of working experience will be about 450 Euros - the salary of full professor in the University with 30 years of working experience will be about 780 Euros This expectation will be realized if increasing of exchanging rate for Euro will follow inflation of 7.5%, as it is predicted. The long-term objective of TUS in the next three year (until 2010) is increasing of salaries to the level as follows: - the lowest salary of 250 Euros – the average salary for employees in schools about 520 Euros - the salary of school professor, homeroom teacher with 20 years of working experience – about 650 Euros - The salary of full professor in the University with 30 years of working experience – about 1100 Euros With these salaries we will be in the position as Croatia is nowadays. Percentage of GDP for education from present about 4% should be at least 5.4% of GDP. We consider our projection as the realistic one and we will propose it to the new Ministry of Finance and Education as soon as they will be appointed. 5 top
PRESS RELEASE Finally better wages for teachers!
October 13, 2006 representatives of three teachers unions (Teachers Union of Serbia, NTTU “Nezavisnost “and Union of teachers trade unions) had a meting with Minister of Finance and Minister of Education about increasing of wages until the end of this year and in year 2007. Besides increasing of salaries in November 2006 for 5.04 % as it was agreed at the beginning of this year, it will be additional increasing for all employees in Education for 4 %. Proposal of Protocol for increasing price of work and coefficients for next year tends to improve material position of employees in education significantly. Concerning the price of work, the most important improvement is for employees in the sector of Higher Education. After years of lagging behind other sectors of education, the work price for Higher Education will be equalized with other educational sectors. Next part of Proposal is correction of coefficients. Teachers with VI degree of education will have more important increasing then teachers with faculty education. The intention was to make smaller difference between teachers with different level of education working the same job in lower classes of elementary schools. Total increasing of salaries in November f 2006 and in 2007 will be 60,47 % for teachers with higher school, 44,45 % for employees with secondary school and 41,62 % for employees with lower level of education. As Teachers Union Serbia forwarded its proposals for changes of coefficients in June 2006, we can say that most of our proposals are accepted. Some improvements of proposed Protocol will be issues for negotiations with Ministry of Finance. Two examples show what kind of wage improvement will be for the teachers: -Teacher with 20 years of working experience, faculty educated (VII level of education) in November 2006 will receive wage of 388 Euros and in November 2007 about 445 Euros -Teacher with Higher Education (VI level of education) will receive 317 Euros in November 2006 and about 383 Euros in November 2007 5 top
Press Release August 29, 2006.
Republic Board Committee of Teachers Union of Serbia held a Conference August, 25. Actual issues of education were discussed and it was concluded as follows: 1. Teachers Union of Serbia considers proposed changes and amendment to Law of basics system of education and up-bringing considerable improvement on the whole. However, several articles were not completely harmonized in Working Group consisted of Ministry of education representatives and recognized trade unions. That is the reason TUS will insist to improve or change these articles before voting in National Assembly: a)Article 53 of current Law – TUS consider that School Board should consists of 9 members, according to formula 5 + 1 + 3, i.e. five members from teaching personnel side, one representative of parents and three representative form local community. Existing solution caused catastrophic consequences in the practice. The reason is that everybody is interfered with election of school director – from local community representative, through influential individuals to some people in Ministry of Education. As elections of new school directors are in the process in most schools, it has been created a very bad atmosphere in schools. b)Article 127 – Annual vacation for teachers is limited up to 30 working days in proposed changes of the Law. This is opposite to Law of Labor and existing Collective Agreement for employees in Education. This solution should be deleted from the Proposal. c)Article 145 – Teachers Union of Serbia consider that working norms for teachers should be clearly indicated. It should be predicted that teaching norm could not be more than 20 lessons for theoretical issues per week and 24 lessons (teaching lessons, not hours) for practical teaching. 2. Concerning work on Proposal of Law of wages for employees in public services, Teachers Union of Serbia consider as quite improper including trade union representatives in these activities in July, during vacancies. The Protocol of work on this Law was signed last year in September. That is the reason it is not realistic to prepare this Law and pass it up to the end of this year. We consider implementation of this Law could be from year 2008. Teachers Union of Serbia and other trade union in public services will not accept this Law if it should derogate trade union rights and if it will suspend implementation of existing Collective Agreements. 3. Teachers Union of Serbia expresses the protest against breaking regulation in Collective Agreement for Elementary Schools, Secondary Schools and dormitories concerning jubilee awards payment. Although payment of jubilee awards is obligation of local communities, there are a lot of communities and cities refusing to pay finance to schools for this purpose. The biggest problem is in Belgrade with more then 20 000 employees and Secretariat for Education with budget of several billion dinars refuse to pay 75 millions to schools, according to decision of Belgrade Major. If this problem of jubilee awards would not be solved in next month, Teacher Union of Serbia will invite its members in communities and cities where is not realized this payment, to suspend their work with other trade union members until payment of awards.
President of Teachers Union of Serbia Branislav Pavlovic
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