Sivro announced a three-day strike in kindergartens and primary schools: Ministers get 500 KM raise, teachers 123 KM

(Patria) - A two-hour warning strike in kindergartens and primary schools in the Sarajevo Canton will be held on January 29, 30 and 31 from 7:30 to 9:30.

The Independent Union of Primary Education of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Cantonal Committee of the Union in the Sarajevo Canton presented its demands at today's press conference, and among other things, they are seeking respect for the law and the collective agreement, an increase of the lowest salary by 10 percent from January 1 this year, salary increases for non-teaching staff, equalization of salaries with those of workers employed at the Public Institution Institute for the Development of Pre-University Education, and changes to outdated and overly extensive curricula.

Union president Saudin Sivro emphasized in his address that he speaks on behalf of 3,919 union members who represent the interests of workers in public preschool institutions, i.e., the Public Institution Djeca Sarajevo, and public primary education institutions in the Sarajevo Canton.

"In 2024, the salary of the director of the Institute, which was established by this government two or three years ago by hiring workers over the phone, is 2,922 marks, while the salary of a primary school principal in January is 2,058 marks, a difference of over 800 marks. Assistant directors at the Institute have a January salary of 2,653 marks, while the salary of an assistant in a primary school or kindergarten will be 1,885 marks, a difference of about 800 marks," said Sivro.

He added that an associate at the same Institute has a salary of 2,413 marks, while an educator, teacher, and instructor will receive a salary of 1,570 marks.

"To make it clear to the public, ministers, deans, and prime ministers will receive a salary increase between 350 and 550 marks, while the increase for a teacher and instructor will be 123 marks. What is sad to say is that our driver and janitor will have only a one-mark increase in January," Sivro pointed out.

He also stated that cleaners will receive a reduced January salary by 99 marks.

"That is why we are going on a warning strike. We have said that during the validity period of the collective agreement, salaries in schools and kindergartens must be aligned with salaries in other sectors, and that has not been done. Therefore, we demand that the government do this. Workers with the lowest salaries must receive a 10 percent salary increase, as in administrative bodies. The government has been violating the collective agreement for a month now, and that is the reason for the strike. Negotiations are currently underway with the Secondary Education Union, which is demanding a 10 percent increase, which we also demand. We have given up on the 15 percent we demanded last year," said Sivro.

He called on the Sarajevo Canton Government and its negotiating team to start negotiations on a new collective agreement.

He also said that under the new standards, some jobs are being abolished.

"They say we have overtime hours, but we have them because there is no workforce on the labor market; no one wants to work in education. They are introducing an administrative worker into schools. We will not allow our schools to be turned into offices. Standards will not be adopted without the consent of the union. We will pitch tents and go on a hunger strike," Sivro stated.