PRAGUE, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Czech school workers' unions threatened to go on strike if their demand for pay rise is not satisfied, according to local media reports on Tuesday.
The unions failed to push through their pay demands at a meeting with the education ministry earlier today.
"We want to find a solution. It is up to the government. Let's wait to see if the negotiations progress towards a successful outcome," said union leader Frantisek Dobsik, adding that the unions are ready to "discontinue the operation of schools" if needed.
The average monthly gross salary of a teacher in the country was 36,224 crowns (about 1,600 U.S. dollars).
Originally, the unions demanded a 15-percent increase in teachers' pay. They eventually lowered their demand to a 10-percent increase on condition that all additional money be added to teachers' base pay, while the education ministry proposed the monthly base wage of all teachers be raised by 2,250 crowns, and a monthly bonuses worth an average 1,400 crowns for a teacher.
Teachers' wages are raised by a government regulation. The cabinet is to discuss the relevant draft regulation for 2020 soon. The trade unions will decide on a strike on the basis of the government's decision on this directive.
The cabinet previously promised to gradually raise teachers' wages so that they reach an average 45,000 crowns in 2021, which is 150 percent of the sum they earned in 2017. The unions however demanded a steeper increase.
