Romanian education unions are determined to continue their protests, which could lead to blocking the academic year and national exams if Education Ministry doesn't find solutions to solve salary issues and redundancies unions members say, according to Romanian news agency Mediafax. Minister Daniel Funeriu said there were necessary funds for salaries and pensions.
Leaders of the four union federations in Education met the Education minister on Wednesday, March 10. Despite discussions going on for 3 hours, union members came out unsatisfied.
FSLI announced that affiliated professors will go on a warning strike during May 5-13. In June, they will be part of a referendum addressing the general strike issue. Protests are scheduled country-wide from May 1-15.
"There will be protests. We're thinking to block the exam and even the academic year, as we have never done it before, but the situation is very serious. The salaries are reduced and we don't know what surprises the new education law reserves, because it has not been discussed with us. Moreover, the Ministry's leadership said we would found out about it after the Government will have approved it", Spiru Haret Federation Gheorghe Isvoranu declared.
In his turn, National Education federation general secretary Constantin Ciosu said after the meeting that there's a need for a social protection programme for those to be laid off on September 1, like in the case of National railway staff: "The system will lose 30-35% of its employees on September 1 and we need them to get compensatory incomes".
Constantin Ciosu added that he asked the Education minister to elaborate an emergency ordinance granting all teachers the salary increases entailed by the 221/2008 Law, and not only to those who won this right in court.
"There are tens of trials won in court by t
