Education Trade Union Won't Sign Higher-level Collective Agreement

Bratislava, September 24 (TASR) - The Slovak Education and Science Employees Trade Union won't sign a higher-level collective agreement for the years 2025 and 2026, its head Pavel Ondek informed TASR on Tuesday. As a result of this, social reconciliation may not be guaranteed, and conditions will be created for further negotiations and potential pressure actions. Following a fourth round of collective bargaining that took place on September 17, Ondek convened a special session of the union's Council, which discussed the higher-level collective agreement for 2025 and 2026. "It appreciated the efforts of negotiators for the Slovak Trade Union Confederation and the benefits achieved, such as a more favourable total number of working hours, a higher number of leave days compared to the Labour Code, an increase in severance payments by one salary above the scope of the law, a contribution to supplemental pension savings, and two sick days," said Ondek. However, the Council viewed the agreed one-off bonus of €800 in 2025 and a 5-percent increase in salaries as of January 1, 2026 as insufficient. Ondek claims that neither the long-term requirements of the Education Trade Union in the area of ​​remuneration, nor the government's commitments from the government manifesto are being met. He stated that increasing salaries by 5 percent in three years (2024-2026) is unacceptably little. "It will cause a drop in the real salaries of education sector staff and won't guarantee an increase in their living standards or make professions in the sector more attractive," said Ondek. According to Ondek, the union is aware of the need to consolidate public finances. However, he stressed that education should be perceived as an investment in the future prosperity of society as a whole and must be considered a priority when redistributing money from state coffers. ko/df