ZAGREB, Nov 27 (Hina) - About 500 teachers protested in front of the government's building in central Zagreb at noon on Wednesday, demanding a 20 percent salary increase.
ZAGREB, Nov 27 (Hina) - About 500 teachers protested in front of the
government's building in central Zagreb at noon on Wednesday,
demanding a 20 percent salary increase. #L#
The protest ended at 1 p.m. when the protesters dispersed while
their union leaders went to a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister
Goran Granic and the head of the government's office for social
partnership, Vitomir Begovic.
The protest and today's day-long strike in primary and secondary
schools have been organised by a coordinating body of school unions
protesting because pays in the school sector are some 1,000 kuna
(EUR135) smaller than in other public services.
"The government is offering a 2.96 percent increase in secondary
schools, a 2.16 percent increase in elementary schools, and a 3.14
percent increase in GDP funds for schools, which shows they don't
care about this country," said Andrija Puljevic, president of the
Independent Union of Croatian High School Employees.
He said the unions were ready for a compromise but could not accept
the government's empty promises that "it will get better".
Vinko Filipovic, the president of the Preporod School Union, said
today's protest should be a clear message to the premier and the
education minister to give serious consideration to the unions'
demands at tomorrow's government session.
During the protest, insults were hurled at Education Minister
Vladimir Strugar and the leader of the biggest school union, the
Croatian Teachers' Union, which did not join in today's strike and
protest.
According to the coordinating body, the strike is on in some 50
primary and 65 secondary schools.
Croatia has 828 primary and 381 secondary schools in total.
(hina) ha