Bucharest Teachers On Go-Slow Strike Over Gift Vouchers Decision

According to a press release of the National Education Federation (FEN), union members in all schools in Bucharest are on go-slow strike.

 

Unionists also announced they would organize a rally and protest march on Apr 16 to have Government ordinance 37/2008 repealed. The ordinance states employees in public institutions no longer benefit from gift vouchers. The ordinance was published Tuesday in the country’s Official Gazette.

 

Union leaders sent Wednesday an open letter to Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu, urging him to discard the measure. Unionist also warned that teachers in other counties would also resort to protests to get the ordinance repealed.

 

The Federation of Free Unions in Education (FSLI) said in a press release that its 68 affiliated unions include over 186,000 members, who will organize rallies and protests throughout the country until the decision is repealed.

 

"The government resorts to antisocial measures instead of making decisions that should help consolidate human resources in education. This measure was taken just because the bulk of education employees were supposed to receive gift vouchers in 2008 and the government believes this would slow down economic growth and boost inflation," the release reads.

 

Bucharest mayors of districts 1 and 2, Andrei Chiliman and Neculai Ontanu, urged Wednesday that the ordinance be repealed.

 

Wednesday evening, liberal vice-president Teodor Melescanu said party leaders asked finance minister Varujan Vosganian to draw up a report on the impact gift vouchers have on the state budget and approve the granting of vouchers unless it affects the budget. Vosganian should have the report by the end of the week.

 

Liberal prime minister Tariceanu motivated the government’s decision to stop granting gift vouchers saying the country needs a tight wage policy.