The wave of protests of trade unionists in education grew

After several protests held in front of the Government and Parliament in January and March, education trade unionists held today, April 5, a large march in the centre of Chisinau. The column of demonstrators started from the Square of the Academy of Sciences, moving to the central square, where was held a protest rally.

Several thousand people – teachers across the country, supported by members of national trade unions, came to shout dissatisfaction after authorities have said repeatedly they do not have enough money to raise their salaries. The crowd chanted: “General strike!”, “We want a decent living,” “Without education, dies every nation!” “With so pay school science dies!”, “The State that does not invest in education has not future!”.

“We started this protest in the hope that the government will realize that they are dealing with an “army” well trained and instructed that can not live with such low salaries. This action will not be the last. If even now there will be no reaction from the government, than we can only resort to the last and most drastic protest – stopping the training process. People are ready, they just waite the moment,” said Dumitru Ivanov, president of Trade Union Federation Education and Science (FSEŞ).

Oleg Budza, president of the National Trade Union Confederation of Moldova (CNSM) expressed support and solidarity with the demands and actions of teachers. “We need to appreciate those teachers who remained in the country to educate children despite poor living conditions. Their demands must be met today, not in autumn, as authorities propose,” said the union leader.

Participants of the protest and march launched an appeal, expressing deep indignation against defiant indifference that government treats employees in education. “We are here to reclaim, perfectly legitimate, a decent life now! We will be diligent and united in actions until we get our demands solved,” reads the document.

We recall that trade unionists from education require further levelling wage for I pay category of Single Tariff Network to the size of subsistence since January 1, 2017; increase by 50% the official salary of teachers and science teachers and annual unconditional recalculation of the amount of pensions for retirees employed in the workforce.

More pictures you can find here.