On Thursday, representatives of the Trade Union and the Ministry of Education will discuss changes to the collective agreement of the branch in order to increase the coefficient used to calculate the salary of employees in that area.
The president of the Education Union, Radomir Božović, said that at the meeting with the relevant minister, Miomir Vojinović, they will jointly consider whether there is room for an increase in the salaries of educators.
"We will propose to change the coefficients in the branch collective agreement, which regulates and calculates the salary. In this way, the gross salary would be increased, and thus the allocations for the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund (PIO)," said Božović to the MINA agency.
He said that the average salary in education is 700 euros and that the "Europe Now" program has increased the net salary by 25 percent.
Božović also stated that it would be immodest to claim that those in education are completely dissatisfied with that increase.
"However, current events have devalued it - rising prices of fuel and food. We are practically in a situation where we are asking for an increase again," said Božović.
He said that the salary increase was not through the branch collective agreement, but through a change in the law.
"That's why the part that is separated from our salaries for healthcare is just transferred to the net salary," announced Božović.
He said that they will try to work on changing the coefficients, in order to reach the net salary.
"We set aside from our salaries for the PIO Fund as before. At the time of retirement, with the current salary, our pension would not be any higher, and the salary was increased by a quarter. Those two items are at odds," said Božović.
He said that at the meeting they will try to find models for regulating transportation for more than 800 male and female colleagues who travel to work in other municipalities, and who, as he said, spend not only time, but also a lot of money to pay for transportation.
"There are jubilee awards as well as some other things that concern special education teachers and teachers. There are many things that we can and must talk about, not only through the branch collective agreement, but also through the amendment of the law, if we don't find some better solutions that will at least slightly improve the status of educators", said Božović.
He also said that it is still too early to bid on the dates when the resolution of these problems will be started, adding that this process depends on the Trade Union, the Ministry of Education, and other departments.
"We would be the happiest if it happened on Thursday, to sign a new agreement, but it is still a process. The branch collective agreement does not change overnight," Božović concluded.
Bonus video:
