Over 15,000 Teachers Start Strike Action
Over 15,000 educational workers across the nation went on a three-day strike today demanding that the state would raise their base salary by 20 percent in 2012.
According to ETV, over 600 schools and kindergartens will participate in the strike. Education personnel and their supporters will be holding rallies in all counties, with the largest taking place in Tallinn's Freedom Square at noon.
Head of the Education Personnel Union, Sven Rondik, has said that if the strike does not bring any tangible results the union will carry out an even bigger strike in September. ´
On Tuesday, Minister of Education Jaak Aaviksoo announced that the minimum gross monthly salary of teachers would be raised by 15 percent in 2013, from 608 to 700 euros. The union has called the offer unacceptable.
To support teachers' demands and to protest the planned changes in collective bargaining law, transport workers, television and radio technicians, seamen and healthcare workers will also join the action today.
Ingrid Teesalu
