Tens Of Romanian Teachers Picket Education Ministry HQ

Authorities strengthened security measures after students affiliated with the National Union of Romanian Students said they will also join protests.

Demonstrators got a one-week protest authorization and can picket the headquarters of the ministry between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. until October 22.

The teachers of two high schools in Arad, western Romania, on Friday morning staged a go-slow strike for two hours out of solidarity with a teacher in Caracal, southern Romania, who went on hunger strike.

Federation of Free Unions in Education representative Liviu Pop said information shows teachers in several cities across the country ceased activity, adding that, starting Monday, protests will intensify.

Tens of teachers protested Thursday at the headquarters of the ministry calling on Funeriu to resign. They blocked entrances to the institution displeased that the minister refused to talk to them.

Education union leaders, who attended debates in the social dialog committee alongside Funeriu, joined protesters.

"Spiru Haret" union federation leader Marius Nistor said Funeriu agreed with layoffs in the education system and is not willing to hold negotiations on the education bill. He stressed that talks ended with no results, adding the minister wants the education bill to be pushed through Parliament in a confidence vote.

Romania's Government decided in its Tuesday meeting to seek a confidence vote in Parliament to pass the education bill, although education unionists said they reject this proposition. The Alliance of Education Union Federations asked the prime minister to follow the parliamentary procedures provided by the Constitution as regards the adoption of organic laws, threatening to notify the courts and international bodies.

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