In a week, on 19 September 23 601 education workers from 815 education institutions from around Latvia will start the long-announced indefinite strike, as reported by Latvian Education and Science Workers’ Union (LIZDA) chairperson Inga Vanaga.
Reception of applications for participation in the strike ended on 12 September.
The reconciliation committee failed to find a compromise in the topic of increasing teachers’ wages. LIZDA then decided to go with the indefinite strike.
Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš plans to hold a meeting with LIZDA representatives on 13 September.
During the meeting it is planned to discuss the possible solutions in regards to demands presented by LIZDA in regards to teachers’ wages and workload.
According to the prime minister’s press-secretary Sandris Sabajevs, talks will be attended by Minister of Education and Science Anita Muižniece (K), Minister of Finance Jānis Reirs (JV) and chairman of Free Trade Union Confederation of Latvia Egils Baldzēns.
The government also plans to revenue the ministry’s report regarding the progress in talks with LIZDA.
One of the demands the trade union presented to the government is establishing ‘a balanced workload’. The trade union does not agree with the ministry’s proposal, which includes balancing the workload by 2028. The ministry’s proposed process is too long, and Latvia cannot afford it, considering existing problems.
The second demand is for the government to comply with the schedule listed in the Education Law on increase of wages for teachers.