Unions representing police, border guards, firefighters and other service workers have urged the government to stick to its promise to raise wages, warning that they could join a strike by cultural workers if it fails to do so.
Union leaders have said that next year’s budget is at least 150 million euros short of the budget needed to raise wages and buy equipment. Lithuanian Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovičs said that while pay increases are planned, national defense and other budget priorities have diverted funding from law enforcement agencies.
According to the unions, the young firefighters work in dangerous conditions, but their salaries only slightly exceed the national minimum wage. Loreta Soščekienė, head of the Lithuanian Federation of Law Enforcement Officers, said that the starting salary for new firefighters is around 840 euros, despite the fact that they work 24-hour shifts and come to dangerous calls. “How can they survive without a second job? They don’t do it for fun, they have to feed their families,” Soščekienė said. According to trade union data, about 80% of firefighters work in a second job, often working as drivers or security guards. A similar trend can be observed in the police and border guard.
Rimantas Liepa, a representative of the border guard trade union, said that almost anyone is currently being hired because of a lack of qualified candidates. If there used to be five candidates applying for one position, now we should be happy if one candidate applies for five vacancies, and the quality of work is suffering.
When it comes to national security, it is a disaster, and there is also a lack of weapons and appropriate equipment.
Ineta Kursevičienė, the chairwoman of the Officers’ Trade Unions, said that the number of police patrols has decreased from 580 to 480 in the last four years, and there is currently a shortage of 1,500 police officers.
The situation is even worse in customs, where the lowest wages in the sector are lost and a third of the employees are missing. The work is being carried out by customs officers who simply want to retire.
The unions recall that the previous government had proposed a gradual increase in salaries. However, the current administration has limited the plan to a monthly bonus of 300 euros for employees who have been in service for more than 25 years.
Soščekienė said that when the minimum wage is increased, it increases by five euros for employees of law enforcement agencies.
No additional funds are allocated for salaries, and funding for equipment and services has been reduced.
Kondratovich admitted that there is reason for concern. He said: “It is true that these salaries are not enough to motivate employees. However, such a big problem cannot be solved in one go. The 19th government planned a 7% increase next year, but the situation has changed – we need to put defense and other needs at the forefront.”
Trade union leaders have indicated that they will not back down from their demands and may join the protest of cultural workers. They added that internal security is inseparable from national defense, and at the current pace, there will soon be no one left to ensure public order.
Read the full article in English here: https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2738142/lithuanian-law-enforcement-unions-decry-stagnant-pay-amid-military-spending-surge
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