Latvia: Successful negotiations
Published:
The negotiations between the Latvian government officials and ETUCE member organisation, LIZDA, at the Parliament Coalition Cooperation Board on 28 August 2018, have led to a consensus on the trade union demands to raise education personnel's salary.
Feeling the pressure from LIZDA and in light of the forthcoming parliamentary elections, the government officials agreed to find funding in order to raise the minimum education personnel’s salary equivalent to 710 Euros by September 2018.
Inga Vanaga, LIZDA President, said, “The government promised us to ensure extra funding of 6, 7 million Euros in order to provide a salary increase until the end of 2018. Respectively, additional funding of 19 million Euros is needed for the same purpose next year”.
The education trade union cancelled the picket in front of the Parliament buildings that had been planned for mid-September succeeding the consensus reached.
Susan Flocken, ETUCE European Director, congratulated LIZDA on the agreement reached, “It is a positive development that the Latvian government commits itself to fulfil its responsibilities and obligations. ETUCE believes that comprehensive and sustainable social dialogue between education social partners is the main driver for positive changes in education. LIZDA has done well in reminding the Latvian government of its promises made to the teaching profession and that quality education relies on highly skilled and motivated teachers .”
