Romanian Education Unionists Threaten Govt With “Unpleasant Surprise” If PM Blocks Wage Law

Unionists signed Friday at the presidential office the strategy for the reform in education drawn up by a presidential commission chaired by Mircea Miclea.

 

At the end of the meeting, unionists told reporters that the president’s attitude makes them confident he plans to promulgate the law increasing teachers’ wages. Asked what they would do if the president decides not to promulgate the law, unionists said they don’t think that will be the case.

The added they are waiting for the president’s decision and said they hope no one will be “irresponsible” and block the enforcement of the law.

 

Union leaders accused Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu of being irresponsible when he painted the effects of the teachers’ wage hike in gloomy colors that triggered “hysteria” among people.

 

Asked what they would do if the government is preparing an unpleasant surprise, unionists said they will in turn, offer the government an unpleasant surprise.

 

The country’s leftist opposition Social Democratic Party urged the president Thursday to promulgate the law, for which the deadline expires Friday, while finance minister Varujan Vosganian said in a press conference that no political party has taken the responsibility to hike teachers’ wages if it wins elections and threw everything onto the shoulders of the ruling Liberal Party.

 

The Chamber of Deputies unanimously approved end September an ordinance stipulating a 50% hike of teachers’ wages. The law was taken to the Constitutional Court by the Government, but the court ruled the law was legitimate.

 

The money needed to increase teachers’ wages hasn’t been included in the 2009 state budget draft, which the Government will approve next week.