Education unions request salary increase, according to Wage Law

Approximately 100 employees with the education system are taking part in a rally at Victoriei Square, requesting the Government to increase salaries of employees from the education system, in accordance to the Wage Law, Agerpres reports.

Members of the Federation of Free Education Unions (FSLI), Federation of Education Unions (FSE) Spiru Haret and the Alma Mater National Union Federation, which represent 300,000 employees in the education system, are participating in the protest.

The participants are displaying banners with the following messages: "Always sacrificed, never respected", "Appeal for Romania's future - allocate 6% of GDP", "We don't want special pensions, we want normal wages", "Romania's future is in our classrooms", "Masks are disposable, teachers - NOT".

The employees in the education system are displeased that the Government has not increased their salaries in accordance with Law 153/2017. According to the three union organizations, the teaching staff should have benefited from salaries that are stated by framework law nr. 153/2017 starting with September 2020.

"The salary increase of only 4% starting with January 1, 2022, which means an increase of income of approximately 65 RON for the teaching staff, has provoked a state of general discontent among "employees of the education system", according to a press release of the three unions.

Furthermore, the unions are highlighting that over 30,000 non-teaching staff are benefiting from minimum wage, despite the fact that since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, these employees have carried out other types of activities that have no connection with those specified by the position they are holding.

Also, the teaching staff is the only state employee category that does not benefit from bonuses for work conditions, the three unions remind.