Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu-Tariceanu called on education unions and teachers on Monday to act responsibly, stressing that their wages cannot be increased at this moment and going on strike is not a solution.
"I don't think it's fair for unions to pressure the government now, before elections. Such a wage increase should be decided by the future government and parliament," Tariceanu said, adding that a 50-percent wage hike is just like suicide and is leading Romaniato bankruptcy.
The prime minister said the government wishes to have a dialogue and find real solutions to fix problems in the country's education system, adding that he will not accept to use funds earmarked for investments to increase wages.
As many as 37,000 of the 70,000 teaching and non-teaching staff, members of Spiru Haret Trade Unions Federation went on warning strike Monday following the government's decision to postpone a 50-percent wage increase for the staff in the education system.
The other three education federations -- Alma Mater, FLSI and FEN -- will go on a warning strike on Nov. 10.
All four union federations in the education system will go on a general strike as of Nov. 18 for an indefinite period, displeased with the government's decision to prorogate the enforcement of the law hiking teachers' wages by 50 percent until April 1, 2009.
The law on teaching staff's wage increase was promulgated on Oct. 24 by Romanian President Traian Basescu, who is in dispute for long time with Prime Minister Tariceanu.
Source:Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article