School Unions Consider Possible Salary Increase to Be Acceptable Compromise

Bratislava, February 25 (TASR) - The Council of the Education Trade Union considers a possible increase in the tariff salaries of all education employees to be an acceptable compromise, however, it criticises the proposal for non-tariff remuneration, trade union chairman Pavel Ondek told TASR after Tuesday's meeting of the council, adding that the negotiations will continue on March 10. According to him, the representatives of the school trade unionists will then decide on a possible strike or other course of action. "Members of the union council criticised in particular the proposal to introduce a new non-tariff remuneration system as of January 1, 2026 for teaching and professional staff at the expense of a higher increase in their tariff salaries," said Ondek, adding that the council of the union doesn't consider the increase in salaries of education employees to be capable of significantly increasing the attractiveness of the teaching profession and ensuring the stabilisation of other professions in the education sector. "However, in the current situation of significant consolidation of public finances, it considers a possible increase in the tariff salaries of all education employees by 7 percent as of September 1, 2025 and then by an additional 7 percent as of January 1, 2026 to be an acceptable compromise," he added. Ondek went on to say that the council of the union also welcomes the commitment of the government to create a separate tariff table for the remuneration of non-teaching employees in education, which, according to him, will allow for a more significant increase in the salaries of non-teaching employees in education than in other sectors in the future. The Education Ministry is proposing to increase salaries for teachers and professional staff by 7 percent as of September 1, 2025 and by an additional 5 percent as of January 1, 2026, along with a new non-tariff system that will raise salaries by an average of 2 percent. The government approved the plan to increase salaries at its meeting last week, along with the condition of submitting a proposal for financial coverage and of signing a memorandum of cooperation and social reconciliation in the education sector with the Slovak Education and Science Employees Trade Union. am/mcs