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Referendum Among Romanian Teachers Shows 80% Want National Exams Boycotted, 60% Want Strike

Partial results of a referendum among teachers represented by the Romanian Federation of Free Unions in Education regarding protest actions indicate that about 80% of unionists want to boycott national exams and 60% support a general strike.
Referendum Among Romanian Teachers Shows 80% Want National Exams Boycotted, 60% Want Strike
15 apr. 2009, 10:58, English

Federation leader Aurel Cornea told MEDIAFAX Wednesday that union members in 14 out of 41 counties have been polled so far.

“Over 80% were in favor of boycotting national exams and about 60% support a general strike,” Cornea said.

He added final results of the referendum will be available next week and a decision regarding protests will be made after all four Romanian union federation in the education sector poll union members.

The "Spiru Haret" federation finished polling its members and 80% were in favor of boycotting national exams.

Unionists in education are disgruntled with the outcome of the discussion they had with Romanian President Traian Basescu Tuesday, when he asked them to understand the country is going through an economic crisis and teachers’ wages would be frozen this year.

Unionists called on education minister Ecaterina Andronescu to resign, but she replied by saying that she would resign if such a move would earn the ministry’s budget more money. However, she said, it would be better if she stayed and fought for the education system.

The Romanian government approved this year’s first budget revision over the weekend lowered the expenses of the Education Ministry by 676 million lei (EUR1=RON4.1379) from an initial RON11.9 billion.

The Education Ministry is seeking ways to increase teachers’ wages by 33% as of January next year, as a 9% pay raise has already been assigned for this year, Andronescu told MEDIAFAX Friday.

Andronescu said Friday a 5% raise that teachers were supposed to get this year would be lost at the budget revision, but bonuses will be kept in the education sector and people won’t be laid off.

On the other hand, the ministry is seeking ways to keep wage hikes stipulated by law.

"Law 221/2008 stipulated a wage hike of 50%, of which a 9% quota has already been assigned this year. If Law 221 would become effective again, that would entail a raise of 33.6% starting January 1, 2010, when the economy will probably recover,” Andronescu said.