New academic year starts with absent classes www.zgm.mn
On the first day of academic year yesterday, teachers of 28 public schools in Ulaanbaatar launched a strike as promised. According to some officials, 35-36 schools will be joining the strike today. The duration of strike remains unclear as sources claimed that the rest of public schools will join the strike starting this Friday for an all-out strike. Following the Cabinet’s decision to increase teachers’ salary by 812.3 percent last month, teachers warned of a strike as they have been demanding 50 percent pay raise since last year. Furthermore, health workers’ salaries increased by 8-30 percent and art industry workers by 8-27 percent respectively.
Teachers are willingn to settle for 15 percent pay raise
Thus, the Confederation of Mongolian Trade Unions (CMTU) blamed the Ministry of Education,Culture, Science and Sports for discriminating teachers. Amgalanbaatar Khayankhyarvaa, President of the CMTU, remarked, “We demanded 50 percent pay raise for teachers; however, the Government postponed the negotiation and announced a unilateral decision to increase certain workers’ salary by 8-30 percent. This issue must be settled through a tripartite agreement.” 89 out of 192 kindergartens in Ulaanbaatar city previously announced to strike; however, none of the kindergartens have joined the strike yesterday. A spokesperson of the CMTU informed that certain authorities have contacted kindergartens and forbid them from joining the strike. Although 12 research institutions have officially notified the CMTU to join the strike, all the institutions operated normally yesterday. The CMTU informed that teachers are willing to settle for 15 percent pay raise, instead of the initial 50 percent.
Published Date:2018-09-05