teachers

Asked whether he would approve the law stipulating a 50% wage increase for teaching staff, Romanian President Traian Basescu said he is certain to promote the law.

Unions of teachers in Romania’s capital city Bucharest sent an open letter to Prime Minister Calin Tariceanu Wednesday saying the ban on granting gift vouchers creates discrimination on religious criteria.

Romanian teachers will receive an average RON160 raise starting April 1 to compensate for the decision by which the government decided to no longer grant gift vouchers to public sector employees, finance minister Varujan Vosganian said Thursday.

Teachers in pre-university education in Romania’s capital city of Bucharest went on go-slow strike Thursday protesting against the government’s decision to suspend the granting of gift vouchers.

Romanian senators on Tuesday voted 35 to 24 and 1 abstention a law hiking wages of university and pre-university teachers by 74% and 54%, respectively.

Over 600 unionists of “Spiru Haret” federation picket the Education Ministry headquarters Friday and are to march up to the Parliament building, protesting against the national pact for education, which they deemed a political scheme used to win votes.