Government spokesman Dan Karbunaru announced that an Ordinance had been “prepared” that would “provide an increase in the incomes of teaching, support and non-teaching staff”. In fact, it is about the same proposal that was made until now and categorically rejected by the teaching staff – a bonus of 2,500 lei for teachers, for a “teaching career” and 1,000 lei for non-teaching staff. Cărbunaru makes a statement on Sunday, at 12:15, on the topic of the situation in education, given that teachers have been on a general strike for almost a week, and undergraduate registration will begin on Monday.

The latest talks between the government and the education unions took place on Thursday, with talks deadlocked after the unions strongly rejected a proposal by the Chuke Cabinet.

The main statements of the Government spokesman:

• The government has prepared a GEO, which will provide an increase in the income of teaching, support and non-teaching staff, in the context of discussions with trade union representatives
• This is a budgetary effort in the amount of more than 700 million lei
• All education workers will be paid differently:
• 2,500 lei bonus for teaching career or compensatory bonus to the new salary scale for teaching staff, in two parts, in June and October
• 1,000 lei for non-teaching staff
• A new step is that the Government is very serious about real needs in education
• From Monday, the Minister of Labor begins a dialogue with education unions about new grids in the upcoming education law
• July 15 is the deadline for the World Bank to express its views on the new wage law
• So the process of dialogue is going on
• The Prime Minister asked to speed up this dialogue for all categories, from education to health care and transport
• Children need teachers in their classrooms to end this school year on a high note
• We call for the resumption of classes, based on the fact that children must finish the school year and pass exams.

About national exams:

• The Ministry of Education is ready to offer solutions as we enter this period
• We expect to find an understanding, because the government is coming with concrete measures, not with promises, and with openness to dialogue

Why are you putting forward the same proposal that the unions have already rejected?

• This is not a suggestion, this is a measure
• This government continues to address injustice and come up with concrete things to supplement those revenues
• These are not just promises, proposals, but concrete measures that we implement
• This is not a very small budget
• The fact that the new wage law, which is supposed to address this injustice, is no longer waiting for December, but is being drafted, shows that the Government understands the needs of society
• Of course, resources are also needed and this will be considered by the World Bank

The Unionists rejected these measures, or did you agree with them when they came forward again with the same measure?

• The government takes into account the demands of trade unions, so we had a dialogue

Do you expect the strike to stop after you have made the same offer?

• The government expects the resumption of the educational process, the end of the school year for children and the passing of exams
• We count on conscientiousness and the ability to understand the importance of this moment

More than 150,000 teaching workers and more than 70,000 teaching and non-teaching staff have announced a general strike since Monday.

On the fourth day of the general strike, more than 10,000 teachers protested in the center of the capital, first on Victory Square, from where they marched to the parliament. And on Friday, several thousand teachers protested on the streets, in front of the prefectures, in Craiova, Sibiu, Suceava, Timisoara, Iasi, Hunedoara, and on Monday such protests are planned in other cities, such as Galaţi and Braila, said the leader of the Federation of Trade Unions education

A protest rally from Victoria Palace in Kotrochen is planned for Tuesday, which union leaders say will draw more than 20,000 people.

• More than 10,000 teachers march in protest on Calle Victoria for fourth day of general strike / Chuke: I cannot promise them now what cannot be achieved
• PHOTO GALLERY Teachers’ protest march, photo: “We want decent salaries”
• Yohannis reproaches the striking teachers that they “didn’t even notice” that new laws on education were adopted

A protest rally from Victoria Palace in Kotrochen is planned for Tuesday, which union leaders say will draw more than 20,000 people.

Trade unions demand a 25% salary increase, the government offers vouchers

The last offer made by the government to the education unions was to provide 2,500 lei per card, the money will be provided in two installments – half in June and half in October. Money from PNRR funds should be used for the teacher’s career. The offer was rejected by the trade unions, which demanded a 25% salary increase.

After a new meeting on Thursday night with education unions, government spokesman Dan Carbonaru announced again that the requested increases will only be made through the upcoming salary law.

• “There will be a 9% salary increase for non-teaching staff only and a bonus in June and one in October in the amount of 500 lei.
• 220,000 teachers and teaching assistants will receive an incentive of 2,500 lei for their teaching career, the first installment in June 1,000 lei, the second in October 1,500 lei.
• These efforts being made will be redoubled by the fact that on September 1 the discussion of the new salary law will be fast-tracked so that teachers will already receive the new salary rights on January 1, 2024,” government spokesman Dan Carbonaru said on Thursday evening.
• “Here we are not in the market and as such we do not operate with offers. Not even in the mall. The Government of Romania presents the measures it can take with verified, guaranteed, consistent and appropriate financial support. I could also refer to other measures, from other registers of measures that this government has taken in very difficult periods and that have been discussed or interpreted (…),” Carbonaro said when asked why he was coming to the government with the same proposal for teachers, like the one from Thursday morning, and if the executive is willing to engage in dialogue with the education unions.

On Friday morning, as Prime Minister Chuke was about to submit his mandate, the leaders of the ruling coalition announced that the government shutdown had been postponed pending the end of the general teachers’ strike. Chuke appealed to “the minds of the entire teaching staff” to whom he conveyed that the government could not commit to unbalancing the entire state budget through the salary increase they were demanding.

“The longer the rulers prolong this state of tension, the more radical our movement will be. We are not beggars”

Education unions warned the government on Saturday, two days before registration for the 2023 BA exam, that the longer “this state of tension and so-called negotiations goes on, the more radical” the protest movement will be.

“We are not beggars, we do not want crumbs”

• “We have not received any invitation from the government for discussions, but let us be clear: we are not beggars to sit with our hands outstretched at the gates of government for Mr. Chuke and Mr. Cholanu to abandon us. some more crumbs.
• We don’t need their vouchers and cards.
• I think they don’t understand what’s going on in education. Mr. Chuke comes and tells that there is no money, what he thinks.
• Good people, wake up! When teachers from the remotest villages, all the way to the largest national colleges, come to your street and tell you that you have no money? We don’t think it’s not money. (…)
• These are the same politicians who do not understand the importance of education. Arrogance, disdainful tone…,” Marius Nistor, leader of the Federation of Education Trade Unions (FSE), said on Digi 24 on Saturday.

To the question of what will happen to the students who will take the external examination and bachelor’s degree, the trade union leader answered:

• “We are with the students, we will make sure that they do not lose anything, but now there is no question of ending the strike.
• Trade unions do not agree with anything that comes from the authorities.
• The longer this state of tension and so-called negotiations last, the more radical this movement of ours will be.”