For a long time, unions were not as relevant as in recent times – first SSM with the demand to increase minimum wage, and now SONK with the general strike in education and demands for wage increases.
“Today we will officially discuss the offer from the Government adopted at last night’s session. We will make wider consultations. On Sunday, we had a report from the poll for the offer submitted to us by the Government then orally and now in writing and 95% of the members stated that they do not accept it,” says SONK president Jakim Nedelkov.
Nedelkov added that there is pressure on the strikers and it is not just the lists made by those who strike or those who do not strike. It is emphasized too much whether the per diems will be paid during the strike and this is perceived as pressure. “Even the parties are putting pressure on their members,” the SONK head told “Utrinski brifing”.
The general public is divided over the teachers ‘strike. The ombudsman said that when it comes to rights, children always have priority.
“The question is not how long we can endure, but how long the Government will be buried in the trench of its position. The Government did not listen to us when we talked about the sharp increase of the minimum wage, and when the minimum wage has already been raised, ours should also increase because we have been waiting for six years. The last straw was that with the increase of the minimum wage we now have some jobs of different complexity that have the same salary. Our impatience is not the problem,” said Nedelkov.
