Teachers' salaries might be increased as of September 2018, said Education Minister Martina Lubyová on Sunday for RTVS. However, he government manifesto guarantees increases in steps until 2020, the first one on January 2018. According to the Denník N daily, the teachers unions do not rule out a strike. This September teachers' salaries were increases by 6%. At that time, Teachers' Unions refused to accept continuous increase by 26.6% in more steps by 2020 in exchange for not striking for this period of time.
There are two points of view regarding the September increase. "The Government views it as teachers getting an increase three months early. On the other hand, trade unions perceive it as something extra that doesn't count and that what counts should come in January 2018," said Lubyová adding that next increases will be a matter of negotiation. She also assured that she's ready to support teachers.
"It's open collective bargaining. Our current budget has been increased by €30 million so that we have the raise covered as of September 2017. The increase in next year's budget amounts to some €80 million," said the minister, adding that these are huge volumes. "The sector is huge. Any negligible increase in percentage has an impact on the budget. We can't do it like this. There's a need to seek systemic solutions so that teachers come under the umbrella of public administration and collective bargaining isn't split into specific groups," she said.
Independent MP Miroslav Beblavy stated that the gross salary of starting teachers is some €700-750 per month. "If we have a situation in which the education sector offers teachers €200-250 below the salary of somebody who, for example, delivers food in a van, it's clear can't have a high-quality school sector under these conditions," stated Beblavy.
