The Latvian Education and Science Workers' Trade Union (LIZDA) recalls that the increase in remuneration has not been extended to higher education teachers, which creates an inequality situation, and plans to decide on this situation at the meeting of the Council on Wednesday, June 17.
The approved teacher pay schedule foresees that the minimum monthly salary rate for basic and general secondary education, vocational education, interest education, as of September 2020, is EUR 790. The schedule for raising teacher pay between 2018 and 2022 was approved by the previous government.
The Ministry of Education and Science (IZM) estimates that an additional EUR 8 214 473 is needed to raise wages.
In addition, some €25 million will be needed for 2021, 2022 and 2023.
However, the increase in wages cannot be counted on by university teachers. On Tuesday, the government decided to postpone this issue to the next year's budget negotiations, thereby angering the Latvian Education and Science Workers' Trade Union (LIZDA). The trade union condemns the ministerial decision and will decide on its follow-up at the council meeting on Wednesday.
“This is a violation of the Law, a violation of the Education Law, a violation of the Cabinet order, and we will also evaluate the possible violation of Section 91 of the Constitution. It is very unfair to discriminate against one part of the teachers in this way, without presenting reasonable arguments, which is why this group of educators should accept not raising their wages, and not as much as many on the sidelines look like, there are dozens of euros and in taxes, which is more a matter of attitude,” said LIZDA.
