Skopje, 31 August 2023 (MIA) - The Minister of Education and Science Jeton Shaqiri held a meeting Thursday afternoon with the Independent Union for Education and Science (NSON), after NSON leader Tomislav Gievski announced they are planning to strike in September over low pay and collective agreement violations, and that they are working on consolidating their membership to support the strike.

At a press conference on Thursday, Shaqiri emphasized that the Ministry of Education and Science is prepared to meet the unions and that yesterday he met with the Education, Science and Culture Workers Union (SONK).

"We will continue with higher salaries from September 1 this year as well. They will be increased in accordance with the General Collective Agreement, as with all public sector employees, including the education sector, and a certain percent that is being negotiated with the Ministry of Finance to align with the minimum wage," Shaqiri said.

The Minister’s message to the unions, he said, is that he does not want students and teachers to become a part of the daily politics led between the unions for greater membership and for students to be used to voice dissatisfaction over wages.

"They can find any other instrument to channel dissatisfaction, just not the students, and I, as a minister will tell you now that teachers will receive higher pay starting September 1," Shaqiri told NSON.

Shaqiri added that in one year, and with the gradual pay increases, teachers’ salaries have cumulatively increased by 35 percent, something which, he said, was previously unseen for more than 20 years.

"If we continue with this new model of the general collective agreement, teachers’ salaries will increase every year. And this will be my position at today’s meeting too. Students should never be used for politics," Shaiqri stressed. ssh/ad/

Photo: MIA