The unions may further appeal to the European Court of Human Rights should the Hungarian top court rule against them, they said.Continue reading
The first meeting between the Hungarian government and teachers’ unions since the pause of the nationwide strike for higher pay has been concluded, the Democratic Union of Teachers (PDSZ) announced in a video posted to Facebook.
Zoltán Maruzsa, State Secretary for Public Education, met with PDSZ and the National Teachers’ Trade Union Office (PSZ) on Wednesday to discuss the future of Hungary’s teachers in light of recent strikes for higher wages. According to PDSZ board member Erzsébet Nagy, the state secretary said that the Hungarian government intends to resolve the issue through European Union funding, but that such a solution cannot yet be reached due to the European Commission not accepting the projects the government has proposed.
However, the government has enforced a ten percent wage increase over the next three years, which took effect this January. Furthermore, Maruzsa recently wrote to teachers informing them that the government will do everything possible to further increase the esteem of the teaching profession, regardless of the economic or social difficulties Hungary faces.
Featured photo illustration by Tamás Kovács/MTI