Education workers in HNK remain firm on their demands: Teachers' Day celebration or strike?

(Patria) - The strike initiated by education unions in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton at the beginning of September was initially temporarily banned by the Municipal Court in Mostar at the request of the Government. Subsequently, it was declared illegal.

The unions called such a court decision a downfall of democracy and filed an appeal. They claim they will not give up their demands for salary increases and announce the possibility of protests soon.

By a decision of the Municipal Court in Mostar, education workers in HNK are banned from organizing a strike.

The decision states that the mediation process was not followed, that jobs that are not to be interrupted during the strike were not agreed upon, and that the strike violates the convention on the rights of the child. The unions called this decision scandalous and an attack on democracy and the right to strike for over three thousand education workers.

Edin Sarajlić, from the Union of Primary Schools of HNK, says:

"If people enter the classroom this disappointed, I think they are causing enormous damage to education."

The unions have filed an appeal against the court's decision. They will not give up their demands, because, they say, the Government has money. The Prime Minister and ministers in HNK have the highest salaries in the Federation, claim the Unions, while the salary of educators, they say, is among the lowest, only in eighth place among cantons.

Josip Milić, from the Union of Secondary Schools of HNK, shared their demands.

"Our demands are the payment of a one-time bonus of 2,570 marks, a 30 percent salary increase, the return of mentors and advisors to their former status, and the payment of sick leave over 42 days for our employees, as well as for others."

We also requested a statement from the Minister of Education of HNK, among other things, about whether the Government has the money for the educators' demands, as claimed by the Unions, and whether it will meet their demands, writes BHRT. Instead, they received a written response.

"The Ministry of Education of HNK has adopted since December 2023:

1. New Pedagogical Standards and Norms, which reduced the minimum number of students per class from 18 to 14, so that teachers do not lose their workload or become redundant.

2. Rulebook on advancement for primary schools, which enabled advancement for teachers - mentors by 5 percent and advisors by 8 percent of their salary. We did not receive the consent of the Union for secondary schools.

3. We have drafted a new Law on Primary Education and a Law on Compulsory Preschool Education, which HNK is the only one in the FBiH that did not have," states the response from the Minister of Education Adnan Velagić.

Josip Milić says they are sticking to their position,

"Unfortunately, there are no negotiations, no agreements, no new developments, so we are sticking to our position, the Government is sticking to its position, unfortunately, that's the situation."

The unions say they will continue their fight for a better financial status and working conditions for educators. And instead of celebrating Teachers' Day on October 5th, they say, a protest is more likely.