European Trade Union Committee for Education

After 5 years of freezing of salaries in the education sector the patience was no longer to find amongst Lithuanian educators and their trade unions. On Wednesday 18 June, thousands of teachers demonstrated in front of the government's offices. This was only the steam of many years of frustration as the Lithuanian education system seems to fall at the bottom of all international surveys. The employment structure for teachers is out-dated and looks more like a "feudal system" of hiring and firing. Year after year contracts are established on part time basis without guarantee for employment the following year.

In addition, 20 % of the education workforce is filled by retired teachers, thus blocking the way for new colleagues as the numbers of pupils and students are dropping due to demographics and emigration. An unsuccessful attempt to decentralise competences to the local communities adds supplementary pressure and causes the education system to become a complete chaos, where responsibilities are totally unclear..
The trade unions have for 2 years tried in vain to establish a dialogue with the Prime Minister in an attempt to make the Government understand that it is the government's responsibility to react.

At the demonstration, ETUCE was represented by the European Director, Martin Rømer, who also convened for a meeting with the Education Minister and the Prime Minister. At a press meeting Rømer said:"It is urgent time for the Lithuanian Government to resume responsibility for the quality of the education system and to make the necessary changes including an up-scaling of the teachers' salaries."

Martin Rømer continued "the Government needs to invite all parties to discuss all these complicated issues in a package-negotiation that has the potential to improve quality and teachers' salaries."

During the meeting with the Lithuanian Prime Minister, the European Director directly critised the Lithuanian government of not being aware of the serious developments in the education sector and called for a comprehensive reform negotiated with the trade unions. The Prime Minister for the first time in 2 years accepted that the trade unions should be involved and that all issues should be on the table. He acknowledged that the Government had the ultimate responsibility and directly invited to the establishment of a National Plan 2020.