Massive teachers’ protests

Tens of thousands of Romanian education employees continued their protests.

Roxana Vasile, 31.05.2023, 14:00

Since the winter season, the teachers had announced that, if the Romanian Government did not find any satisfactory solution to their problems, they would go on an all-out strike, with possible negative consequences on the end-of-school-year exam schedule. After a pandemic in which they were on their own in managing the online or hybrid teaching process, for which they had never been trained, against the general background of an underfunded education system, after being left at the whims of education ministers from various parties, who made rather uninspired decisions, the teachers have decided that it is high time they made their grievances heard. In the last few days, massive street protests both in Bucharest and in numerous cities in Romania added to the teachers protest, which started on May 22. The protesters asked the Government to find solutions to grant them a salary increase until the end of the year, and to guarantee, by law, a decent salary to the beginner teachers.

What did the government offer them? Two bonuses! Here is union leader, Marius Nistor, with details: The Government’s offer is the same as last night, and the categorical answer that we bring on behalf of hundreds of thousands of employees protesting in the country and, today, in Bucharest is: No! They need a decent salary, they need a 25% increase in their income, they need that law which stipulates that the salary of the beginner teacher must be equivalent to the average gross salary and that which should underlie the future unitary salary law.

So, on Tuesday, hoping that the President Klaus Iohannis, a former teacher himself, will get involved in mediating the conflict with the Executive, tens of thousands of teachers and representatives of the non-teaching staff from all over the country gathered in front of the Presidency headquarters to demand higher salaries and investments in the education system. The President said that he understood their concerns and requests but emphasized that solving the blockage in the education system and ending the strike are crucial for the smooth unfolding of the school year. Klaus Iohannis also expressed willingness to guarantee a political agreement signed by all governing parties to ensure that the new salary grid will respect the requests of the education employees.

Here is what some of the teachers say: Our message has been misunderstood that we are only interested in the salary part, we are actually fighting for correct legislation.

I want that decent living guaranteed by the Romanian Constitution. We only have debt-ridden lives.

Meanwhile, the period for completing the school year and for registering for this year’s baccalaureate exam has been extended. The Education Ministry stated that the change will not affect the exam schedule. (LS)