Trying to reinstate the pay model for preschool teachers – Education & Career

Yesterday representatives of the teachers' union met with Prime Minister Maris Kuczins to discuss a number of issues raised by the industry: changing the salary model for preschool teachers, retirement pensions and setting up in place of the salary schedule. We have managed to find possible solutions in the first two questions, but for the third time, there is little clarity.

In May this year, the Latvian Union of Education and Science Workers (LIZDA) organized a letter collection campaign. One of his objectives was to obtain the progressive guarantee of state budget salaries for teachers of all preschool institutions (including those who work with older children from 1.5 to 4 years old) from 2019. During the campaign, 42,549 signatures were exchanged throughout Latvia on the change of the salary model, which would eliminate the inequality compared to teachers of all ages. other levels of education that are paid for by the state and not by the local government budget. Therefore, the amount of the same workers is different because the financial capacity of each locality is different. The president of the LIZDA, Inga Vanaga, said that the verbal agreement with the Prime Minister was concluded, which means that from 1 January next, four of the 40 hours spent by a preschool educator will be paid by the state. By the way, they could have lasted ten hours by 2020.

The schedule of teacher salaries does not go ahead.

The meeting also discussed the issue of retirement pensions for teachers. I. Vanaga recalled that they were suspended in 1993, but the LIZDA believes that this issue will be gradually resolved by granting pensions to three groups of teachers – special education, sports and preschool teachers. This is necessary because, after the age of 50, members of this profession often face health problems (sight, hearing, voice, spinal problems, etc.), which causes difficulties in 39, accomplishment of their tasks. At the same time, Mr Kucinskis objected to the continuation of the draft law by drawing attention to the Court of Auditors' opinion on the pension system. Thus, a year ago, it was already pointed out that the range of beneficiaries of a retirement pension increases, but one did not evaluate the occupations they would really need. One of the potential ways for teachers to support teachers is a social support program for early retirement teachers who must retire due to drop-out. Currently, only a small amount of lost work has begun to apply for this financial aid, most from boarding schools, which is expected to end in 2019, said I. Vanaga. She added that to set up this support instrument, it is necessary to strengthen it legally, otherwise it will stay in the air while hanging. Unfortunately, these problems, which are included in the agreements between LIZDA and all parties represented in the Saeima, have so far stumbled as a responsible action and the fulfillment of these commitments by politicians are not expected . It is hoped that they will acquire a more specific profile until August 15th, date of the LIZDA board meeting.

The salary schedule for teachers is not progressing either. For the moment, it has not been possible to discuss it with the Prime Minister, said the head of the LIZDA, but he was in no way removed from the order of the day. At the end of the school year, not all teachers could expect salary increases in September, for lack of a sufficient budget, an additional 6.4 million euros for the four months of the year. 39, year and 19 million euros for the coming year. The Ministry of Education and Science (MoES) pointed out that savings achieved through networking schools have not been achieved.

Vanaga has already expressed the opinion that this could happen and that this source should not become the main timetable. In addition, she still has not received a response from the Ministry of Education on the amount of schools to be closed in order to increase the amount needed to raise salaries. Since 60 schools were closed or reorganized this year, only 1.8 million euros were obtained, which turned out to be very low.

If these issues are not resolved, LIZDA is fully engaged in protest actions in September, said the union president.