Kiviõli High School teachers cancel planned strike

Teachers at Kiviõli High School in Ida-Viru County have cancelled a strike planned for Monday after it was announced discussions about their former principal continuing until the end of the academic year were scheduled for Friday.
Lüganuse rural municipality government Mayor Viktor Rauam and former principal Heidi Uustalu, who was unexpectedly fired in early December, agreed to meet on Friday to discuss the possible continuation of Uustalu as head of the school.
"As agreed at Tuesday's meeting, we will not start a strike on January 13," Mariliis Randmer, a spokeswoman for the school's teachers, confirmed.
On Tuesday, Kiviõli High School teachers and the Lüganuse rural municipality government met to resolve a dispute caused by the dismissal of Uustalu and prevent a teachers' strike which would start next week.
The negotiators proposed Rauam talk to Uustalu, who was dismissed after the municipality government lost confidence in her, and will propose she continue as acting principal until the end of the school year.
Teachers agreed to withdraw the strike notice if Uustalu agrees to continue as acting principal or says that she does not want to.
The Lüganuse rural municipality government terminated Uustalu's employment last month. The council's decision came after Uustalu, a member of the Reform Party, had allowed the school to hold a meeting of the youth wing of the Reform Party.
Students and staff protested Uustalu's dismissal and teachers held an hour-long warning strike before Christmas and threatened to strike indefinitely if she was not reinstated.
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Editor: Helen Wright