The Czech teachers’ union declared a one-day strike on Nov. 6 after calling the proposed raise in teachers’ salaries insufficient.
The Czech school unions decided to go on strike last week after Minister of Education Robert Plaga and Prime Minister Andrej Babiš agreed to increase teacher salaries by eight percent, with an additional two percent going to teachers’ bonuses. However, the trade unions demanded a 10 percent raise in salaries.
According to the unions, Plaga broke the promise he made in the past. Babiš also initially promised that teachers’ salaries will increase by a total of 15 percent, with 10 percent reflected in salaries and five percent in bonuses. The long-term goal of the trade unions is to raise teachers’ salaries to 130 percent of the average wage in the Czech Republic.
According to the school unions, the aim is to reach this goal by 2020.
However, the school unions did not specify in advance how many teachers will be involved in the strike.
Support for the strike is not unanimous, with many teachers disagreeing with the tactic. Now, union members are debating the merits of striking.
Some schools have already announced that they will remain open even if they join the strike. In these schools, teachers may be missing and a different schedule will be in place. For example, some schools will prepare a special program for pupils to deal with a shortage of teachers while children are looked after by teachers who did not join the strike.
