One of the solutions proposed by the teachers is to ensure the remaining increase from next September. On Wednesday, September 25, LIZDA and the Ministry of Education and Science agreed to meet again on October 2 and continue discussions on the increase in teachers' salaries in coming years.
On Wednesday, September 25, an extraordinary session of LIZDA took place, in which representatives of the Saeima and the government also participated. The meeting was sparked by prolonged uncertainty about what will happen to promised teacher pay rises in 2025. According to the law, the salary increase schedule for teachers stipulates that the salary should increase by 8.5% next year.
This year, the hourly rate for preschool pedagogues and general education pedagogues is 9.54 euros, next year, 10.35 euros should be paid for one hour of teaching work. Such a salary supplement was part of the agreement between the teachers' union and the government two years ago to prevent a strike .
However, the salary increase promised to teachers next year is a much more modest 2.6% as a result of a proposed cap on public sector pay rises.
The teachers announced at the meeting that they are ready to agree to this offer if they manage to agree on a further schedule of teachers' salary increases. The current schedule approved by the government ends on January 1, 2025. However, those gathered criticized the inability of politicians to comply with the very laws they had drawn up.
"I teach social studies at school, where the basics of law are also taught. I would like to ask the minister how she would explain this to children? I tell them that there are laws, and they must be followed, and at the same time, dear ladies and gentlemen, you allow yourself to ignore all of this," said teacher Inta Kirilko of the Kandava Agricultural Technical School.
LIZDA also called for a salary increase from next year for university lecturers as well. At the moment, the salary increase applies to everyone, except for these lecturers.
The Minister of Education and Science Anda Čakša (New Unity) said: "We must ensure that teachers working in the same conditions can receive equal pay. Currently we will divide the new financing model into rounds."
The teachers' union also asked to ensure that details of their workload and remuneration package are provided in a timely manner. Often teachers find out about it only at the end of September or October, when the school year has already started.
The next meeting of the trade union with politicians will be held on October 2.
