European Trade Union Committee for Education

In December 2017 the state budget 2018 is to be passed in Ukraine. The draft budget does not fully satisfy the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine, TUESWU, nor other trade unions of Ukraine, in particular with respect to the social and economic welfare for public workers.According to TUESWU, the proposed 2018 budget for Kyiv foresees only € 84 million, far from the € 120 million needed. In other words, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine cut financing for teachers by €37 million.

On 1 November 2017, a meeting between trade union representatives and the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine took place in parallel to the peace action which gathered thousands of citizens. During the meeting, trade union organisations expressed their remarks and constructive suggestions aimed at increasing the social and economic welfare for public workers and establishing decent and fair pay.

On 7 November 2017 in Kyiv, the leaders of the trade union organisations of the country met with the Prime Minister of Ukraine, Volodymyr Groysman. TUESWU President, Georgiy Trukhanov, stressed, among other things, that education personnel demand the Ukrainian authorities to comply with the applicable legislation on Education and, in particular, to :

allocate 7% of GDP to education for the 2018 state budget; increase educational subventions by € 180 million; determine the salary for education personnel in the lowest qualification category amounting to around €150,00 (€50,00 is the minimum average cost of living)

TUESWU President emphasised, “Reforms without teachers’ involvement are not possible and we should do all the necessary to attract the best students into the profession”

On 6 December in Kyiv, representatives from colleges and vocational schools from across the country organised a picketing of education authorities. The main demand to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine was to not hand over the financing of higher education institutions of the I-II accreditation levels – vocational schools and colleges – from the state budget to local budgets and to safeguard the current financing mechanism. ETUCE supports its member organisation in its requests and closely monitors the situation in Ukraine.