Four trade unions representing education employees on Friday signed a collective agreement after agreeing with the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport on a pay increase plan.
“The agreement signed today with the four trade unions is not limited to pay rises next year as it also lays the foundations for pay increases for education workers over the next four years,” Education, Science and Sport Minister Gintautas Jakštas said after the signing.
The agreement was signed by the education minister as well as Egidijus Milešinas, president of the Lithuanian Education and Science Trade Union, Aldona Kindurienė, president of the Solidarumas trade union, Sigitas Vaitkevičius, president of the Lithuanian Association of Higher Education Institutions’ Trade Unions, and Kęstutis Juknis, president of the Sandrauga trade union.
The education minister also invited the striking Lithuanian Education Employees’ Trade Union, led by Andrius Navickas, to join the agreement, saying that there will be no more funds for pay raises, and the strike will be “pointless” once the budget bill is sent to the Seimas.
A bigger pay increase, demanded by Navickas’ trade union, is impossible given the state’s financial situation, Jakštas stressed.
Under the collective agreement, teachers will be subject to a 21 percent pay rise next year, the minister said, adding that a plan for further pay increases up to 2028 will be drawn up by May.
The government proposes raising teachers’ pay in two stages next year: by 10 percent from January and by another 10 percent from September to bring the average teacher’s salary to 130 percent of the national pay average.
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